LadyNoir: A Turn of the Bug
by OriginalCindy8
Summary: Ladybug was seriously becoming frustrated by Chat Noir's obsession with always taking the hit for her. Again and again he would throw himself into danger to protect her, despite the fact that she could take care of herself. "Why must you always try to protect me?" She said, but instead of an answer, she received a kiss. A LadyNoir FanFiction with identities revealed.
1. Chapter 1: Way to Make a Splash

LadyNoir: A Turn of the Bug

Chapter 1: Way to Make a Splash

"Look out!"

 _Whoosh and Smack_

Ladybug looked on in horror as Chat Noir was slammed into the side of a building by a torrent of water. She pulled out her trusty yoyo and swung to his side as the akuma looked on with a grin.

"Ha ha ha! That's what you get for messing with Hang Ten!"

"Chat Noir, Chat, answer me!" she cried as she shook him vigorously. Chat had hit the building head first and with an alarming amount of force. Out cold, with blood dripping down his scalp, Ladybug cradled him in her arms.

"Your next Ladybug!" screamed the villain as he prepared his next attack. Ladybug glared at him before picking Chat up and quickly swinging away to a safe spot out of reach.

 _Why must he always go out of his way to protect me?_ Thought Ladybug as she swung away with Chat in her arms. _He always so reckless and overprotective. I'm Ladybug for crying out loud! I don't need him to always come to my rescue. I know that I'm the only one that can purified the akuma but still, he didn't have to push me out of the way when that attack came, I could've taken the hit._

8 months. It had been 8 months since Ladybug and Chat Noir first became crime fighting partners. Despite having only worked together for 8 months, Chat Noir and Ladybug's teamwork was strong. They complimented each other nicely; Chat Noir the reckless, melee fighter would usually serve as the distraction and Ladybug the strategic, long distance attacker would came up with the solutions to defeat the akuma. Although Ladybug usually relied upon long distance attacks, she was no stranger to close combat and could handle herself well. Nevertheless, Chat Noir had a tendency towards protecting her whenever she was drawn into hand to hand combat or taking any hits that came her way.

 _If only Chat hadn't protected me, then he wouldn't be in the state that he is now._ Thought Ladybug as she continued to swing looking for a safe place.

She managed to find an abandoned general store to hide in. She sighed with relief as she saw the akuma surf past. Setting Chat down she began to frantically look around the store for some first aid supplies. She managed to find some alcohol, a suture kit, and bandages before proceeding back to Chat Noir. Still out cold, Ladybug proceeded to clean and bandage the wound he had sustained hoping he wouldn't feel the needle pierce his skin. Once finished she looked him once over to make sure that there wasn't any more damage. Concluding that the head wound was the only injury, she turned to leave only to be stopped by a gloved hand. Glancing back she noticed that Chat had awoken.

"Chat!" She cried pulling him into a tight embrace. Chat Noir blinked a few times in shock before returning the gesture. Chat grimaced as Ladybug pulled away from the hug, suddenly feeling his injury. She frowned as he reached up to touch the bandage.

"You fixed me up I purrrrsume." Chat said with a smirk.

Ladybug rolled her eyes before responding. "Yes, luckily I was able to get away and find this store without Hang Ten noticing, but we need to have a serious conversation about you always trying to protect me."

"It's a knight duty to protect him lady."

"YOU'RE NOT A KNIGHT AND I'M NOT YOUR LADY!" She screamed.

Chat was taken aback by the sudden outburst of anger. Ladybug sighed before continuing.

"Chat, we're a team. We're supposed to work together to defeat the akuma as partners, as _equals._ I know that I'm the only one who can purify akumas, but that doesn't mean that my safety trumps your own. I need you to trust that I can take care of myself and not always jump…"

 _CRASHED_

Chat Noir and Ladybug both jumped at the sound.

"YOU THINK YOU CAN HIDE FROM ME!" Hang Ten yelled out in the distance.

"We'll continue that chat later." Ladybug told Chat Noir as she headed towards the exit.

"I'm paw-sitively gushing with anticipation, Bugaboo." Chat exclaimed before following Ladybug out the store.

Hang Ten -

 _Where could they have gone?_ Thought Hang Ten to himself as he continued surfing down the streets of Paris. _Ladybug couldn't have gotten far while carrying an unconscious Chat Noir in her arms, they must be close._

Hang Ten continued through the streets of Paris being pushed along by a huge wave of water below his trusty surf board. While searching he spotted a newspaper with the headline "Pro Surfer Max Agua Says Goodbye to His Fame after Being Caught Using Steroids." Hang Ten screamed in anger and destroyed the newspaper.

"Calm down Hang Ten and focus on getting me those miraculous! Fail me and I will take away your powers." Whispered Hawkmoth. "Only with my help can you prove to the world that you are the true surfing champion."

"Yes Hawkmoth," Hang Ten exclaimed.

Hang Ten had been a pro surfer who won the World Surfing Trophy in Hawaii that year; however, after it was discovered that he had been using steroids to boost his performance, he was stripped of his title and trophy. Feeling like a loser and disqualified from ever competing professionally again in the sport that he loved, he gave into the akuma's possession. Whispering sweet words of revenge and the ability to prove to the world that he was indeed the greatest surfer in the World, Hawkmoth easily convinced Max Agua to transform into the Water controlling, supervillain surfer Hang Ten.

Ladybug -

Ladybug managed to find Hang Ten relatively easily. After all, a 20 foot wave in the middle of Paris wasn't exactly low key.

"Lucky Charm!" she exclaimed while throwing her yoyo into the air. "A bottle of olive oil?"

"Hoping that Hang Ten will ask to borrow a cup of oil." Joked Chat Noir.

Ladybug frowned. "What am I supposed to do with… oh!" An idea suddenly struck her. "Chat, distract him."

Chat nodded as he headed towards Hang Ten. Clenching the bottle of olive oil in her hand, Ladybug moved into position across from Chat.

"Hey Hang Ten!" Chat Noir yelled, grabbing his attention. "Catch me if you can. Meow!"

"Gladly!" He exclaimed while rushing head first towards him on his surf board.

Ladybug stood her ground, swinging her trusted yoyo in anticipation. Hang Ten shot several streams of water at Chat which he managed to dodge again and again. As they fought, Ladybug waited until she was in Hang Ten's blind spot before approaching him. It wasn't long until Hang Ten started head first towards Chat on his board, causing Ladybug to finally act.

"Now!" She cried as she threw that lucky charm towards Chat.

"Cataclysm!" He cried as his hand made contact with the bottle second before Hang Ten reached his position.

"What the hell!" Hang Ten cried as the oil slowly covered his body and slide down his leg. Regaining his composure he turned his board and smirked at Ladybug.

"Is that the best you can do?" He laughed as he began to make his way towards her. Unbeknownst to him, the oil had made its way down his legs to his surf board. Within moments he slide right off the surface and flew into a nearby tree.

Ladybug smiled as she made her way towards the surf board. "How'd you like my best?" she said as she broke the board in two releasing the akuma.

"No more evil doing for you little akuma. Time to de-evilize!" Ladybug swung her yoyo capturing the akuma with ease.

"Bye bye little butterfly. Miraculous Ladybug!"

"Bien Joue!" Ladybug and Chat cried as they pounded their fists together. And with that, the fight was over and everything went back to normal.

Chat Noir -

"Follow me." Ladybug told Chat as she swung up to the roof of a nearby building. Chat silently followed until they reach a nearby secluded alley.

"First off, are you okay?" She asked while placing a hand on his shoulder.

Chat looked down at her hand in confusion. _Wasn't she mad at me? I thought that first thing she was going to do was chew me out for always protecting her._ "I'm fine my Lady, I hardly even feel a thing," he said with a smile. _Maybe this won't be so bad after all._ He thought with a feeling of relief.

Ladybug sighed with relief just before punching him in the arm.

"Ow! What was that for?" He asked, a look of shock on his face.

"That was for getting hit and blacking out on me!" She growled. "What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking about protecting you!" Chat snarled back.

"Like I said before, I'm NOT your lady and you are NOT my knight! I don't need you to always protect me, I can take care of myself."

Chat's ears drooped as he looked at the ground. "I know that," he whispered.

"If you know that, then why do you always have to try to protect me? Why do you always feel the need to take my hits for me? Don't you trust in my abilities as Ladybug?" Ladybug said looking a little dejected.

Chat's eyes and ears shot up at that statement. "Of course I do!"

He placed both hands on her shoulders. "You're an amazing hero and a great fighter. I have no doubt in my mind that you are more than capable of handling a villain on your own, after all" he began, "I can think of a few times when you had to defeat an akuma alone." _Princess Fragrance, Puppeteer, Dark Cupid… was I really completely useless that often?_

Lost in thought, Chat Noir didn't notice the grow look of frustration on Ladybug's face. "If you know that I can take care of myself, then why must you always go out of your way to protect me?"

Chat simply started down at her. Maybe it was the fact that she just looked so beautiful in that moment. Maybe it was due to the slight concussion he had from banging his head on the side of a building. Maybe it was due to the feeling of her body so close. Whatever the reason, Chat wrapped her in a tight embrace and pressed his lips against hers.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Hello everyone! I am Original Cindy and this is my first FanFiction ever. Please bare with me as I figure out all the ins and outs of publishing, updating, and reading reviews. It's going to be a Ladybug and Chat Noir ship, obviously, with a focus on the romance and drama between the two. Let me know if you hate it (hopefully you'll just not read it if you think it's bad), love it, or if you think it needs work. Be seeing you when the next chapter is posted :D**

 **P.S. I don't know if the oil would really cause the akuma to slip off of his board, but I do know that wax is needed to keep someone from slipping off of a surf board so it is conceivable that something slippery like oil would cause them to slip off the board. Apologies to any surfers who know more about how this stuff actually works.**


	2. Chapter 2: WHAT!

Chapter 2: WHAT!

 **\- Narrator -**

Ladybug was completely stunned. Here she was after an akuma attack being embraced and kissed by Chat Noir. She had been hugged by Chat before, she had even kissed him once when he was under Dark Cupid's control, but this, this was different. She could feel the passion in his embrace; the desire in his lips. She always suspected that he had a little crush on her but this _this_ was more than a little crush. His feelings for her were deeper than she even imagined.

As Chat slowly pulled away, he looked in Ladybug's eyes hoping for some sort of positive reaction. Instead he was met with her shocked and emotionless body. Panic began to overtake him as he feared he had screwed up.

"Ladybug?" He said cautiously.

Just then, Ladybug's earring began to beep knocking her out of her frozen state.

"My miraculous is wearing off, I need to go now." She said without looking him in the eye.

"Wait Ladybug I can exp…" He began, but she had already looped her yo-yo around a chimney and was taking off at full speed.

Chat slowly crouched down, running his fingers through his hair. "What have I done?" He said in sorrow.

* * *

 **\- Adrien -**

Adrien began to pace around his room trying to come to terms with the events that had occurred. _How could I have just kissed her like that! That was so stupid! And her reaction, is was so confusing. Did she like it? Did she hate it? Is she furious with me? She left so quickly without so much as a glance in my direction. What does this mean for the Bug and Cat team? What if she never wants to speak to me again?_ Gasp _what if she never wanted to see me again?_ Adrien continued to worry, drowning in his own thoughts round and round his room.

After Ladybug had left, he had sat there on the sidewalk for a few seconds, too panicked to move. However, hearing his miraculous beep prompted him to begin heading home.

"ADRIEN! You've been pacing for 30 minutes already! Can't you take a break already?" Cried Plagg.

"Why are you so upset, I've already given you your cheese?"

"My stomach has nothing to do with this." Exclaimed Plagg. "You're not going to get anywhere walking around in circles in your room and if you want my advice you need to relax for a while."

"RELAX, that's your sage advice? I just _kissed_ Ladybug! And not just any kiss a passionate one at that. And did you see the way that she looked at me? She was completely shocked and unwilling to look me in the eye! This is bad Plagg, really bad."

"I don't get what the big deal it. Weren't you planning on confessing to her anyways?"

Adrien paused. Plagg _did_ have a point, he had planned to confess his feelings to Ladybug and have even tried once last Valentine's Day. "Maybe this isn't as bad as I thought," pondered Adrien.

"Glad you finally realized, now can you finally take a break from all this pacing?"

Adrien sighed as he finally sat down on his couch. Plagg flew over and sat on his shoulder.

"Finally listening to the wisdom of the cat god."

"Cat god?" Questioned Adrien.

"I'm an immortal being who has lived for thousands of years and grants mystical powers to chosen individuals. That clearly make me a god." Plagg exclaimed.

Adrien chuckled as he moved from his couch to his desk and began surfing the web.

"What are you doing?" inquired Plagg and he flew over and landed on Adrien's shoulder.

Adrien smiled, "planning the perfect first date to make my lady fall head over heels for me. My old Valentine's plans need a little bit of tweeking to fit this new situation."

Plagg paused. "So the poem that you were working on wasn't the only plan you had for confessing your feelings?"

"Of course not, I also planned the perfect date as a backup encase she was unsure about dating me. I couldn't implement it before, but now I can."

* * *

 **\- Marinette -**

"Marinette?" Tikki exclaimed. "You've been lying in bed for almost half an hour already."

Marinette simply looked at her kwami before rolling to her other side, clearly not wanting to talk about it. Tikki, not easily discouraged, flew to the other side of Marinette and sat down on her pillow.

"Wallowing isn't going to get you anywhere you know." The kwami explained.

"I know Tikki, I just don't know what to do?" Marinette cupped the kwami in her hands before sitting up. "I always suspected that Chat had a little crush on me, but that kiss was so passionate. I could feel the emotions emanating from that simply gesture."

"Is it really so bad that Chat Noir has serious feelings for you?"

"Yes!" Marinette cried before getting up and walking down the steps from her bed. "I love _Adrien_ not _Chat_. I've always loved Adrien!" She glances at her Adrien posters all over her room. "He's smart, funny, gorgeous, and talented; I mean how many people do you know who speak fluent mandarin, play the piano, fence, and excel at modeling." She plops down on her computer chair before spinning it around. "He just so perfect. One day we'll be eating ice cream in the park and then a child will fall and scrape their knee in front of us..." Marinette continues in her wild fantasies until she and Adrien end up married with three kids.

Tikki rolls her eyes as she listens to Marinette's monologue.

"Adrien is everything I've ever wanted." Marinette stars passionately at her computer screen with her head on her arms. Her background consists of a collage of various Adrien pictures with random hearts everywhere. _Such beautiful green eyes he has._ Thought Marinette as she continued to gaze at her Adrien collage. _Green eyes…_ her head shot up and she remembered why she was wallowing in the first place. _Chat Noir is in love with me, I have to do something about this._

Tikki noticed Marinette's change in posture and concluded that she was back to thinking about Chat Noir again.

"If you love Adrien so much and not Chat, then why don't you confess to him?"

Marinette groans, "what if he turns me down? What if he doesn't feel the same way? What if he never wants to speak to me again? I mean, he's _him_ and I'm just, well, me." Marinette flops her head down on her desk.

"Marinette, you are an amazing young lady. Any guy would be lucky to have you." Tikki flew to Marinette's shoulder and gently placed on hand on it. "You're creative, smart, brave, trustworthy, and responsible, I mean you manage to save Paris on almost a weekly bases. How many girls can say they've done that?"

"But that's as Ladybug, as Marinette I'm just your average, clumsy girl."

"That's not true." Tikki frowned in annoyance. Marinette stared at the kwami, taken back by her annoyed tone. _She's usually so upbeat and cheerful, why does she seem a little upset?_ "You are Ladybug, with or without the mask. Sure the transformation gives you superpowers, but the mask is not what makes you Ladybug. You are the hero of Paris, you are Ladybug." Tikki flew to Marinette's forehead and nuzzled up against it. "When Chat Noir was being threatened by Antibug it was _Marinette_ who saved him. When your classmates were in danger due to the Dark Knight, it was _Marinette_ not Ladybug who kept them calm and kept them safe. As Marinette you've won the Derby contest, stood up to Chloe by becoming class president, designed the album cover for Jagged Stone, made a banner to support your friends in their race, won the Mecha Strike III contest. I could go on forever about how amazing you are and everything that you've accomplished without the aid of superpowers, but I fear we'd be here all night." Tikki chuckled. "I wish you could see what I see."

Marinette smiled as she nuzzled Tikki back. Tikki had told her many times that it wasn't her superpowers that made her Ladybug, but somehow she just could never really accept it. As Ladybug she felt so strong and confident it was almost like she was another person. As Marinette, she was so clumsy and full of self-doubt. Nevertheless, Tikki had a point. She _had_ managed to accomplish a lot as clumsy Marinette. She also knew that there was more to being a hero than just possessing superpowers. _Still_ she hesitated to place herself on par with Ladybug; after all, Ladybug was a superhero who saved the entire city of Paris on multiple occasions. Even with what Marinette had managed to accomplish as a civilian, it was nowhere near what she had accomplished as Ladybug. Besides, Adrien didn't know she was Ladybug, all he knew and saw was Marinette.

"Even if your right," Marinette began, "Adrien doesn't see me that way."

"Chat does," Tikki stated.

Marinette frowned as she looked at her kwami. She opened her mouth to speak only to close it again a few seconds later. She didn't know how to respond to Tikki's comment and it irritated her. _So what if Chat sees me differently, that doesn't change anything, does it?_

"Marinette, what do you actually think of Chat Noir?" Tikki inquired.

Marinette let out a small laugh before answering. "For one thing he's a total show off, always rushing in head first without thinking. He's always cracking puns and is the biggest flirt I've ever met. He's also incredible nosey; why does he want to know who I really am any…" Marinette was interrupted as a thought crossed her mind. _Because he loves you, that's why._

"Sounds like you really hate him," Tikki explained.

"I don't hate him, I mean his my partner after all. He's a great fighter and some of his puns are kinda funny." Marinette smiled as she remembered some of his better jokes. "I hate to admit it, but I'm glad that he's around. Knowing that he has my back puts me at ease when fighting akumas. This job would be a lot harder without him, we are a team after all, unstoppable. But that's all we are, teammates, regardless of Chat's feelings for me."

"If that's your answer, then you need to be honest with Chat and turn him down."

Marinette groaned, "I know, I just don't want to hurt his feelings or ruin our team dynamic."

Tikki flew to Marinette's cheek and gave her a supportive hug. "I know it will be unpleasant, but I'm sure Chat will under…"

Tikki paused as she heard footsteps approaching. She quickly hid as Marinette's mother poked her head through the trap door.

"Marinette it's dinner time."

"I'll be down in a second."

Sabine smiled warmly as she closed the trapdoor and slowly descended the staircase. Waiting until she knew Sabine was gone, Tikki flew out of her hiding place and sat down on Marinette's desk. Marinette sighed before joining her parents downstairs for dinner.


	3. Chapter 3: Another Day at School

Chapter 3: Another Day at School

"Hey girl."

"Hey Alya," Marinette replied as she took her usual seat next the Alya. She sighed as she sat her backpack down on the ground. Alya eyed her with a look of worry.

"You okay?"

"Yeah, just a lot going on at the bakery right now," Marinette lied. She was becoming quite good at lying these days and she hated it. _Sometimes I wish I could just talk to Alya about what's really going on. She's my best friend and has always helped me out when I needed it. Sure I have Tikki to talk to, but she's a 5 thousand something year old immortal kwami; hard to relate. Besides, Tikki made it clear when we first met that absolutely no one could know about my secret identity._

"Don't worry girl, I'm sure it will die down soon." Alya said while reaching into her bag to pull out her phone. "By the way, have you seen my latest post on the Ladyblog?"

"No. What did you post?"

Alya smiled as she pulled up the post on her phone and passed it to Marinette. Marinette took the phone and began reading. Alya had posted an article about their fight with Hang Ten and even had a short video of Chat Noir getting smashed against a building. Seeing the video reminded Marinette of how Chat Noir had been hurt protecting her. The memory made her cringe. _I need to do something about him always putting himself in harm's way for me._

"Looks like Chat got hurt pretty badly." Marinette exclaimed as she passed the phone back to Alya.

"Yeah, I thought he'd be out of the fight for a while, but I managed to catch a glimpse of him and Ladybug heading out a few moments later to defeat the akuma."

"Looks like he got hurt protecting Ladybug again, he's so reckless."

Alya let out a small laugh. "He maybe reckless, but I think it's kinda sweet how he's always trying to protect Ladybug, like a knight in shining armor. You can tell from his actions how much Ladybug means to him."

Marinette groaned. _Great! The last thing I need right now is another reminder of Chat Noir's feelings towards me. This is going to make turning him down a lot harder._

The door to the class opened and in walked Adrien and Nino.

"Morning Nino, Adrien."

"Good morning Alya," the two said in unison.

"Good morning Marinette," Adrien said.

"G-g-g-good m-m-m-morning!" Marinette managed to stutter out.

Adrien simply shrugged at Marinette's stutter and took his seat. He was used to her stuttering around him by now, although he still wondered why she acted that way around him. As Adrien sat down Marinette couldn't help but to stare at him, her heart in a flutter. All it took from Adrien was one look and she completely forgot about her anxiety over Chat Noir's feelings. As she continued to stare she noticed that something seemed a little off about Adrien. He seemed a bit stressed, unhappy, anxious maybe? She became to ponder why when the doors to the classroom opened.

"Adrikiens!" That one word was all it took to snap Marinette out of her fixation on Adrien. Nino, Alya, and Marinette all frowned as they watch Chloe walk through the door and proceed to wrap Adrien into a tight embrace.

"Good morning Chloe," Adrien replied as he attempted to unwrap Chloe from him. Chloe allowed her arms to fall to her side. "How are you today?"

"HORRIBLE! You won't _believe_ the morning that I had, it was simply dreadful! It all started when this stupid new waiter served me orange juice with pulp. EVERYONE at the hotel knows I only drink pulp free orange juice! I was so angry I accidently broke my fingernail on the cup." Chloe held up her hand to show him.

Adrien grabbed her hand gently and then lowered it before replying. "Didn't you say he was new?"

"Yeah, he just started a week ago."

"If he's new, then how was he supposed to know that you only liked pulp free orange juice? Did you ask for pulp free?"

"Hmph, of course not! When I order orange juice the waiters should already know that I want pulp free." Chloe turned to proceed to her seat. "Luckily I won't have to deal with him again, I had daddy fire him."

"You WHAT!" cried Alya, Nino, and Marinette in unison. They had all been listening in to Adrien and Chloe's conversation.

"Chloe, you can't have someone fired just because of something trivial like serving orange juice with pulp in it. What if he really needed that job?"

"If he really needed it, then he should have done his job properly." Chloe pulled out a nail file and began to fix her broken nail. "Honestly Adrien, you're too nice for your own good."

Before anyone could reply, the teacher walked in and began the lecture.

"Spoiled brat Chloe strikes again," whispered Alya to Marinette.

"I'll say," she replied before turning her attention to the teacher.

* * *

He flung his vest and black tie into the dumpster in fury. _I can't believe her! How was I supposed to know that she wanted pulp free orange juice if all she asked for was orange juice?_ He screamed as he kicked the side of the dumpster in anger, before falling to his knees in despair. After searching for weeks he had finally found a job that fit with his schedule, was close by, and would hire someone without any prior work experience.

Cecil Kuroshitsuji was a 19 year old, first year college student. Life for him had been going well until his parents were injured in a car accident. Both parents suffered severe injuries and became unable to work. Although Frances' Universal Healthcare covered all their medical expenses and even provided them with temporary daily cash benefits, bills had started to accumulate. It was a struggle trying to survive on 50% of their usual income, especially since the family was still recovering from a prior financial crisis. Cecil had offered to drop out of school and work fulltime, but his parents wouldn't hear of it. Finally they had agreed upon a compromise and let him work part-time so long as he maintained his grades. He agreed and found the job at Bourgeois Hotel and well, you know how that ended.

 _I swear, I'm going to make that blond girl pay for what she did to me!_ He thought as a black butterfly flew into his watch.

"Hello Black Butler, I am Hawkmoth. I will grant you power to seek revenge on the one who has hurt you, but in return I want Chat Noir and Ladybug's miraculous. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, Hawkmoth." Cried Cecil as he was slowly consumed by a dark cloud.

* * *

 _Ring_

 _Time for lunch._ Adrien thought as he began to put his school books away and began to leave.

"Dude, are you okay?" Inquired Nino to his best friend Adrien.

"What do you mean?"

"You've been kinda out of it all day, is there something on your mind?"

 _Ladybug "_ no-nothing really important, just thinking about somethings."

Nino frowned a little, "you sure about that dude, because usually you're a star pupil. Hard to believe that nothing could cause you to blank out half a school day."

All throughout the day Adrien had been spacing out. To the untrained eye it appeared as though he was paying attention in class, but Nino could tell he was lost in his own world. For starters, he hadn't taken a single note and even though he was always looking directly at the teacher, his eyes were never really focused on the teacher. Luckily he wasn't asked any questions throughout the day, so no one noticed his lack of attention other than Nino. 8 months of friendship and sitting together had taught Nino a lot about Adrien.

Adrien paused. _How am I supposed to respond to that? 'Yeah Nino, I've been unable to focus due to Ladybug consuming my thoughts. Why you ask? Because I'm Chat Noir and I kissed her the other day. Her reaction wasn't exactly on point and she left before I could explain myself. Now I'm worried about what this means and how to move forward.'_

Adrien sighed. _I guess I have no choice._ "It has to do with my dad…" Adrien looked away as he said this with hurt etched into his words.

"Ok dude, no need to go into full detail if you don't want to." Nino knew about Adrien's rocky relationship with his dad better than most (except maybe Chloe) and had learned not to force the subject whenever it came up.

As Nino went to leave Adrien couldn't help but feel guilty. Over the last 8 months he had developed a habit of using his dad as an excuse when Nino noticed that something was up and he _loathed_ himself for it. Oh how he wanted to tell Nino the truth, let him know what was really bothering him so he'd have someone to talk to. Plagg wasn't exactly the best companion when it came to heartfelt conversations about his lady, Nino would definitely be a better help on that front. But Plagg had made it clear that no one _no one_ could know his secret identity, not even Ladybug.

 _Ladybug._ Adrien thought as he left the school building and headed to his limo. _I've planned everything out perfectly for when I see her again, but who knows when that will be._ Adrien's anxiety began to build as that thought crossed his mind. Unless there was an akuma attack, event held in their honor, or some other emergency that they happened to stumble upon, Ladybug and Chat Noir never saw one another. They only appeared during those specific, random events and did not have a routine or anyway of contacting each other out of the transformations. _It would be nice if we had some way of contacting each other or routine where we met up on a consistent basis. That would make everything a lot easier, besides, I'd have more time to get to know her._ It was hard to find time to chat when dealing with an Akuma attack, plus they always had to leave relatively quickly afterwards due to their miraculous running out of power.

As Adrien began to enter the limo, wondering when he might see his lady again, a scream filled the air. Normally he wouldn't be so ecstatic to know that someone was in danger, but knowing that this meant he could see his lady again filled him with joy. As he attempted to exit the limo however, the gorilla (Adrien's bodyguard) gave him a quick push and shut the door before hoping into the driver's seat and speeding away.

"Don't worry Adrien," Nathalie began, "we'll get you home safe and sound before any danger occurs."

 _Great._ Adrien thought as he sat in the limo. _Now I have to wait until I'm a lone in my room to transform and sneak out to help Ladybug with the akuma._ Adrien looked out the window of the limo hoping to catch a glimpse of the akuma and gain some idea on how to defeat it.

* * *

 **Author's note: You will not believe how hard it was to create a convincing financial crisis for Black Butler! France has some really great medical coverage and their universities are really cheap too, but I think I pulled it off. To those who are wondering about how I came to write this Fanfiction and its actually good, here's the answer. 1) I went to two different panels at last month's kon which discussed the art of writing Fanfiction. The main topics were researching the country that your story takes place in, note the difference between canon and fandom, and make sure to keep characters in character. 2) I have numerous friends who are also fans of Miraculous Ladybug. They will read and often critic my work before I post it. 3) I have read over 35 different Miraculous Ladybug Fanfictions, some good, some bad, and some with good points and bad points. Shout out to "Smoulder" by MidnightStarlightWrites my favorite LadyNoir. I would also like to mention that for this story I will be following canon so Chat Noir and Ladybug do not go on patrol, Adrien's favorite subject is not Physics, and the reason why Marinette does not want to reveal her identity is not because she thinks she is pathetic and that everyone would be disappointed to find out that it is her beneath the mask. Anything else that might develop in the story outside of canon will have a reason and be explained. I hope you all enjoy the rest of the story :D**

 **P.S. Black Butler rules! (season 2 does not exist in mind)  
**


	4. Chapter 4: Black Butler

Chapter 4: Black Butler

"I am Black Butler and I'm here for Chloe Bourgeoisie. Bring her to me now!"

 _Another akuma after Chloe, what a shocker._ Ladybug thought as she stared at the akuma in front of her.

She had just walked outside of school when she heard the ear splattering scream. She managed to rush back inside and transform in a secluded spot quickly before confronting what she suspected was another akuma. Sure enough, after scanning the area for a moment she noticed a young man in a black butler outfit, throwing plates and knives at civilians from his tail coat. He looked relatively normal in his black, button up twin tail coat, black pants, black shoes, black tie, and white collared shirt, but the mask on his face proved he was an akumatized victim and not just another regular butler. As he prepared to throw another set of knives at some unsuspecting people, Ladybug wrapped her yo-yo around his wrist and pulled.

"I don't know what Chloe did to hurt you so, but hurting her and terrorizing the city isn't going to fix anything." Ladybug said as she landed on the ground several feet away from the villain.

"I DON'T CARE!" Scream Black Butler as he pulled on the string, yanking Ladybug off her feet. "So long as she gets what's coming to her, if you knew her you won't be protecting her."

Ladybug stood up, rewinding her yo-yo as she replied, "Regardless of what Chloe has done, she's still a citizen Paris and it is my duty to protect her."

"If you insist on getting in my way, then I won't hold back." Black Butler began throwing a series of knives and plates at Ladybug. She began swinging her yo-yo, either blocking each attack or dodging out of the way. She threw her yo-yo at Black Butler a few times only to be blocked by a plate and met with another series of knives.

This volley went back and forward several times without either side gaining any ground. _Where is that cat?_ Thought Ladybug as she rolled, dodging an incoming of knives. _I could really use his help right about now. I guess I'll just have to make due until he shows up, perhaps I can figure out where the akuma is._

Taking a different approach, Ladybug swung onto a nearby rooftop to get a better look at the akuma from a safe distance. _Where is it, where is it, ah ha!_ As he twisted his arm to throw another set of plates towards Ladybug, his sleeve rolled up ever so slightly, revealing a purple colored watch on his wrist. _That's where the akuma is, now all I have to do is find a way to get it off him…_

"Hello Buginette." Ladybug jumped, startled by Chat Noir's sudden appearance.

"Chat?"

"In the flesh."

"What took you so long?" Ladybug asked in annoyance.

Chat Noir's ears perked up a little as he replied. "Couldn't wait to see your favorite kitty? That make me purr…."

"Duck!" Ladybug cried as she tackled Chat Noir to the ground, barely missing a wave of plates shot their way.

* * *

Chat couldn't help the way his heart pounded as Ladybug lay on top of him. She was so close and so warm. The memories of their kiss, still fresh in his mind, was driving him crazy. Luckily the moment didn't last long as she quickly got off him to face the akuma. He missed the feeling of her weight on him, but knew that this was not the time or place. They had a job to do.

"So what are we looking at?" Chat asked as he stood up.

"His name is Black Butler and his powers appear to be limited to throwing random knives and plates which he grabs out of his coat pocket." The two heroes began running across the rooftops, spinning their unique weapons as they conversed.

"I suspect the akuma is in the watch on his left arm."

"What is he after?" Chat inquired.

"Chloe," Ladybug sighed. "I don't know how, but she's pissed him off in some way."

Chat Noir thought about the conversation he had with her earlier when she admitted to getting a waiter fired. _Butler, waiter, they are both in the service industry, not too far of a stretch to think it's him._ As Black Butler leapt onto a rooftop to continue pursuing the pair, they jumped down in between two houses.

"Where are you?" Black Butler yelled as he began to search for them.

"Time to jump into action!" Chat began as he prepared to attack the akumatized victim from below.

"Whoa there kitty." Ladybug grabbed Chat's tail as he attempted to leap into the air. "I think we should try a different approach."

Ladybug paused to make sure that Black Butler was out of ear shot before tossing her yo-yo in the air.

"Lucky Charm!" And out of her yo-yo dropped a job flyer.

"…I know these are supposed to be random, but seriously, _a job flyer?_ How is that going to help us?"

Ladybug frowned as she read the piece of paper. It was a flyer for a job at the florist shop near the Mayor's hotel. She had seen the help wanted poster outside the window when she passed the place a few days ago on her way to her favorite fabric store. She had visited the shop many times before getting equipment and seeds for her small garden on her balcony. The owners are a sweet elderly couple that have been running the store together for over 40 years. After seeing the help wanted poster, Marinette decided to go in and talk to the couple. Apparently they'd been looking for help for a few weeks without any luck; the store was relatively secluded, so only regular customers were able to view the sign. Marinette suggested they post the help wanted poster online, but the couple said they didn't know how to use a computer and didn't want to be bothered with the hassle of trying to learn just for the sake of finding a new employee.

As Ladybug continue to stare at the flyer, Chat decided to speak up about his suspicions on who the akuma victim was.

"I think Black Butler was an employee who was fired from the Bourgeoisie Hotel thanks to Chloe."

"What makes you say that?"

"Erm-well…" _Damn! How can I tell her how I know who he is without her figuring out that I heard it from Chloe? "_ H-he's wearing a butler outfit and you have a job flyer in your hand, plus he's after Chloe. Getting someone fired would be right up her alley."

"It makes sense," she admitted. "Ok, here's the plan."

* * *

"Argh! Where did they go?" Black Butler cried as he continued to search for Ladybug and Chat Noir. "Forget this, I'm going after Chloe!" He growled in frustration.

"You will continue to search for Ladybug and Chat Noir, get their miraculous, and give them to me or I will take away your powers and you'll never be able to exact your revenge. Understood?" Hawkmoth demanded.

"Yes Hawkmoth," Black Butler sighed. _This guy is more demanding then that little blond. Why can't I ever find anyone nice to work for?_

"Cataclysm!"

Black Butler paused as he noticed the building crumbling beneath him. Panicked, he jumped down to the street only to come face to face with Chat Noir.

"Hmph, you think you can defeat me!" He began as he lunged at Chat Noir. Chat jumped backwards onto a lamppost as Ladybug descended from above.

"We aren't here to defeat you." She said as she placed her yo-yo back on her hip and began to walk towards him.

 _What is she doing?_

Ladybug slowly came to a stop a few feet away from Black Butler. "I propose a trade, this job flyer for your watch."

Black Butler looked at the flyer and laughed.

"I know that's a fake, it red with ladybug spots all over it. Clearly that's your lucky charm."

"It may be a fake, but the job is real. You'll be working at a florist shop for a nice elderly couple. It will replace the job you lost at the Bourgeoisie Hotel and all it will cost you is your akumatized watch."

Black Butler hesitated before taking the flyer and reading the contents. _This is exactly what I need, with this I can help out my parents and continue going to school. Well worth losing my powers over._

"Deal." He said as he moved to take off his watch.

"How DARE you try to defy me!" Hawkmoth screamed in Black Butler's head before attacking.

"Gah!" Black Butler cried as he fell to the ground clutching his wrist.

"What's wrong?" Cried Ladybug and Chat jumped down from the lamppost beside her.

"Hawkmoth is trying to take control!" With barely a moments pause, Ladybug swiftly removed the watch and flung it to the ground.

"No more evil doing for you little akuma. Bye bye little butterfly."

"Miraculous Ladybug!" She cried as she threw the flyer into the air.

"Bien Joué."

"Huh, what happened?" Ciel exclaimed in confusion.

"You were akumatized by Hawkmoth, but everything is better now." Ladybug said as she helped him to his feet.

"Better, how can anything be better? I've been fired from my job and nothing is going to change that."

"May be not, but there's a job opening at this florist shop that I think might just be what you're looking for." Ladybug briefly explained the job opportunity to Ciel before sending him off in the direction of the shop.

 _Beep_

As the two heroes watch Ciel disappear down the street with a grin on his face, they noticed that their respective miraculous were down two points.

"Sorry to cut this short, bug out." Ladybug began as she pulled out her yo-yo.

"Ladybug wait!" Chat cried.

"What?"

"I need to speak with you."

Ladybug cringed at his words thinking what had happened yesterday. She knew that they needed to talk about it, she knew that she needed to tell him flat out that she wasn't interested, but that didn't mean that she wasn't dread having the conversation. She'd hoped to at least have a few days before having to face Chat Noir again, but an akuma just _had_ to show up the _very next day_.

"We don't have time, our miraculous are about to time out." Ladybug stated hoping to push off having the conversation for a while.

"Then let's meet tonight at 8:00, a top the Eiffel Tower. We really need to talk."

"I…"

"Please" Chat said.

Ladybug looked into Chat Noir's pleading eyes. She could see his sincerity and vulnerability clearly. It was such a stark contrast to his usually cocky, confident behavior that it caught her off guard.

"A-Alright, I'll meet you tonight at 8:00." She stammered out before swinging away.


	5. Chapter 5: A New Beginning?

Chapter 5: A New Beginning?

Chat continued pacing back and forth on the top floor of the Eiffel Tower, waiting for Ladybug to arrive. He had been there since 6:00 p.m. getting everything ready for the night. Finishing around 7:15, he proceeded to the top floor to await his lady's arrival. Chat pulled out his baton, it was now 7:55. Just a few more minutes until they're agreed upon meeting time. Chat couldn't help but feel anxious at his plan. _What if she's upset by this? What if I completely screw this up? What if she hates me afterwards, it could completely destroy our teamwork and friendship! What if she doesn't even show up?_

"Argh!" Chat cried as he knelt down in frustration. _No! Now is not the time to be freaking out, not when I'm so close to having the woman of my dreams._

"Something wrong Chat?" Chat Noir whirled around only to find Ladybug standing there staring at him with a look of concern.

"Ladybug!" He exclaimed as he rose with a giant grin on his face. "You came." All it took was one look at his lady and all his fears, anxieties, and worries melted away. _If it means being together with my lady, then I can do anything._

"Of course I did, I said I would come." Ladybug slowly walk over the Chat, grabbing her arm in nervousness. "Chat, about what happened yesterday…"

"Wait! Before you continue, come with me for a moment I want to show you something." Chat held out his hand for her to take.

"Chat…"

"Just give me a few minutes of your time, we can talk later. I purr-omise it will be worth your while." Chat said with a smirk.

"Okay, but only if you promise to stop with the puns."

"I make no promises."

Ladybug took Chat's hand and allowed him to guide her towards the apartment in the Eiffel Tower.

"Wait," she said as they paused outside the door. "We're going into the apartment? How did you even get the key?" She inquired.

"Well about that, I may have picked the lock." Chat admitted sheepishly.

"You WHAT!"

"Don't worry, no one will notice. Besides, I wanted tonight to be special." Chat looked so sincere that Ladybug couldn't help but forgive him.

"Alright," she sighed as Chat Noir opened the door for her to enter.

* * *

The first thing she noticed were all the Christmas lights. Chat Noir hung several golden lights all across the walls of the room giving it a soft glow. Next she spotted a small circular table in the center, covered with an off white table cloth. A glass vase with a single red rose was placed in the center of the table with two silver serving platter lids on either side. Two wooden chairs resided next to the table. A small serving cart with glasses and drinks sat off to the side with a stereo on the lower surface. The entire setup looked incredibly romantic.

"Chat. What is all this." Ladybug hesitantly looked at Chat.

"I-I-I'm just trying to make up f-f-for earlier." Chat turned away, but Ladybug could still see his cheeks slowly turning read. "I'm sorry that I just kissed you out of the blue, that wasn't how I wanted it to…that's not how I intended…it was going to be perfect."

"Chat Noir." At the sound of his name, Chat Noir summoned up his courage, turned around to face Ladybug, and gently held her hands in his.

"Ladybug, I love you and I want to be with you."

They stood there like that, Ladybug's hands in Chat's for what felt like forever before Ladybug pulled away, turning her back on Chat.

"How could you say that you love me? You don't even know who I am." Ladybug whispered as she began to hug herself. "You see me as this strong, confident, perfect hero who always saves the day, but that's not all I am. Outside of the mask I'm just an ordinary girl, who lives an ordinary life; a life which you know nothing about. You can't truly love someone if you've only seen half of who they are."

Chat placed a hand on Ladybug's shoulders before slowly turning her around to face him. Staring into her eyes he replied.

"While it is true I don't know your hobbies, interests, or even your real name, I know Ladybug is more than just a mask. I know you're smart and creative with how you are able to use the most random of objects to defeat akuma. I know you sometimes doubt yourself, like when you first became Ladybug; however, with a little encouragement you were able to overcome that obstacle." Chat pulled Ladybug ever so slightly closer. "I know you care about helping others. I know you are a strong leader and believe in standing up for what's right." Chat slowly caressed her cheek with his thumb as he gently raised her head. "I know you are beautiful, but most of all I know under the mask you are still Ladybug, the woman I know and love." And with that, Chat Noir began to caress her lips with his own.

Chat Noir could feel his heart pounding as he gazed at Ladybug. She looked so beautiful in the glow of the lights and felt so close to him that despite her previous reaction, still fresh in the back of his mind, he dared to kiss her again. When Chat Noir felt Ladybug kiss him back, he thought he had died and gone to heaven he was filled with such bliss. The two melted into the kiss as Chat Noir slowly wrapped his arms around her waist as she looped her arms around his neck. Chat almost purred when he felt her hands comb through his hair. The two were in a world of their own, swallowed by the passionate intensity of the embrace.

They stayed like that for what felt like forever before finally breaking apart. Chat placed his forehead against Ladybug's while a huge grin slowly formed on his face.

 _I've done it! I kissed Ladybug and she kissed me back! She kissed me back, my lady kissed me back. After 8 months of trying, my feelings have finally reached her. This is a new beginning for my lady and me. I can have her, I can finally be with the woman of my dreams!_

Chat Noir's grin immediately turned into a look of pure shock as he lifted his head to gaze at Ladybug. She stood there, staring at him with eyes glossed over and teardrops slowly dripping down her cheeks. Chat Noir began to inwardly panic as Ladybug's slow stream of tears burst into a full fledge waterfall.

Placing her hand on her yo-yo, Ladybug ran towards the door only to be stopped by Chat Noir.

"Out of my way Chat."

"Ladybug, please."

"I said out of my way."

"I-I'm sorry that I kissed you! It won't happen again, so please, don't leave."

Ladybug paused before slowly turning to face Chat. Her eyes were blurry from all the crying, but Chat Noir could still see the pleading in her eyes. He didn't want her to leave, his heart ached at the knowledge that he didn't know when he would be seeing her again after she left. He did not want this to be the last thing that occurred between them. He wanted to fix things, needed to fix them now, but it was apparent that Ladybug did not and he did not have the right to force her. Feeling his heart breaking into two, Chat slowly removed his arm from the door.

"I'm sorry," she whispered before swinging off into the night.

Chat fought every instinct he had to run after her, instead choosing to simply curl up into a ball as his lady swung away into the night.

 _I don't understand. Everything was so perfect! That kiss was so intense and passionate, it was simply perfect. Why was she crying? Why did she run away?_

"What did I do wrong?" Chat cried into the night. Tears being to pour down his face as he sat there confused, hurt, and angry.

Chat Noir sat there for what felt like hours, crying his heart out. Eventually he got up and pulled out his staff to check the time. _8:35_ it read.

Putting away his baton, he slowly made his way over to the table. Everything was still there, the table, plates, rose, stereo, even the lights still shined on the walls. All the things he had gathered and prepared for his first date with Ladybug, a date which ended up blowing up in his face.

Revolted and angry, Chat threw the table on its sides scattering the plates and shattering the vase with the rose.

"Catacly…" he began before stopping in his tracks. _This is wrong. I can't just destroy everything because I failed with my lady._ So with a heavy sigh, he began to pack everything up. After putting the original furniture back into the apartment, Chat Noir slowly and somberly made his way home.

* * *

 _Thump_

After landing on her balcony, Ladybug immediately went inside and curled up on her bed. _How could this happen? I was supposed to be turning his down gently, why did I kiss him!_ Ladybug just sat there on her bed replaying the event with Chat Noir over and over again in her head, causing her angst, regret, confusion, and many more tears. She kept up her transformation for the time being, not wanting to talk to Tikki. She wanted, needed to be a lone for a while to collect her thoughts.

She planned to just simply met Chat Noir at the Eiffel Tower, tell him she wasn't interested, and then leave. It was a simply, straight forward approach and she hoped it would put an end to Chat Noir's romantic notions. She knew he would be heartbroken for a while, but trusted that with time everything would go back to the way it was; a platonic, unstoppable partnership. _Why oh why did I follow Chat? Why didn't I just tell him right then and there I wasn't interested and why, why did he have to be so…charming?_

Ladybug could feel her heart pounding all throughout Chat's declaration of love, the beautifully crafted romantic atmosphere he created adding to her state of mind. His touch sent shivers down her spine, his smell was intoxicating, and his words were like music to her ears. He saw her, all of her and loved every part. The mask didn't prevent him from seeing the girl beneath, the girl overshadowed by her heroic deeds by so many. She was trapped, completely caught under Chat's spell and loving every minute of it. So when Chat leaned in for a kiss, Ladybug couldn't help but kiss him back. All her plans of turning him down completely went out the window when his lips met hers. She savored his taste, the feeling of her hands through his hair, his strong arms wrapped around her, the warmth of his embrace.

She didn't know where these new feelings were coming from, all she knew was that she wanted him. _Him_ , that dorky, pun spewing cat who was way too reckless and always trying to show off. _Him,_ the obnoxious flirt who took every chance he could to crack a joke. _Him,_ the stupid cat who always protected her no matter what. _Him,_ her trusted partner who always had her back in a fight. _Him,_ the boy who saw all of her and loved all of her. _Him,_ the admittedly handsome kitty with well-defined muscles and lips so luscious she could just…

Ladybug squeaked and shot up. The last thing she expected, the last thing she needed was for her thoughts to travel in _that_ direction. Laying back down face-first, Marinette proceeded to scream into her pillow. _What is wrong with me?_ Marinette sighed as she raised her head from her pillow. Slowly, she descended down the steps from her bed and gazed around her room. She walked over to one of her Adrien pictures. It was a clipping from Gabriel Agreste's fall fashion magazine and the first picture she put on her wall of Adrien. The magazine was two years old, over a year before she had even met Adrien. She kept it along with many of her other Gabriel Agreste fashion magazines, tokens from her favorite fashion idol Gabriel Agreste. She had a habit of collecting many of his works, using them for inspiration or just simply marveling at the amount of talent Mr. Agreste possessed. After she met Adrien at school however, she developed a whole new purpose for his photo.

Ladybug slowly ran her hand across the photo before pulling it back. Normally her Adrien posters would always fill her with joy and happiness, but after everything that happened with Chat all she felt was guilt. Guilt from feeling as though she betrayed him by kissing Chat Noir. Guilt for beginning to develop feelings for the feline. Guilt for leaving Chat Noir like she did, without any explanation at all.

Ladybug laid down on her chaise as she thought about the way she left things with Chat. _What was I supposed to say? Hey Chat that kiss was amazing and I think I maybe falling for you, even though I'm already in love with this other guy. We're not in a relationship or anything, but I have loved him for 8 months now. I couldn't handle the guilt that I felt for wanting you while I was still in love with him, so I just started to cry; hope that's ok._

"Argh, this isn't getting me anywhere!" Ladybug cried as fresh tears began to spill down her cheeks. _What is wrong with me? How could I just leave Chat in that state?_

Ladybug continued laying there crying until she felt herself begin to drift off to sleep.

"Transforme moi…" she managed to whisper right before she lost consciousness. Tikki sighed as she emerged from the earrings.

"Oh Marinette," she said as she nuzzled against her cheek. "Don't worry, everything will be fine." Tikki flew off to her tiny bed that Marinette had made her. It was made from a small white pillow sewed into a square basket and sat on the small bookshelf behind the bed. Tikki rarely used it though, preferring to sleep a top Marinette; however, tonight Tikki decided that it would be best to leave Marinette be. As she curled up on the pillow she thought about many of her previous Ladybug's and all the trials they went through, including love. If history had taught her anything, there would be a joyous outcome, mostly likely.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I would like to point out that although the Eiffel Tower's hours of operations change slightly from summer to winter, it would still have been open at this time making it impossible for Chat Noir to conduct this evening in secrecy. But for the sake of my story, I'm just going to overlook this little detail**


	6. Chapter 6: 6 Weeks of Angst

**Author's Note: an unusually long chapter.**

* * *

Chapter 6: 6 Weeks of Angst

"Look over here. Yes just like that! Hold that pose, now smile! Think of mama's spaghetti when you smile. No, no, no!" The photographer cried. "I need you to look happy for this shot, that smile is clearly fake."

"I'm sorry, I think that I need a break."

"Ok, take 5 everyone."

Adrien sighed as he got up to take a short, secluded walk. Hearing a commotion, he glanced back to see Nathalie and the photographer in what appeared to be a pretty heated conversation. He felt a tinge of guilt hit him, this and everything else was all his fault and he knew it. Fencing, piano, Mandarin, school, and now even his photo shoots. Everything had been impacted by his melancholy attitude and it was Nathalie who was taking the brunt of it all.

5 weeks, it had been 5 whole weeks, soon to be 6 since Ladybug had left him that night on the Eiffel Tower with tears in her eyes and no explanation. 5 weeks with no akuma (which was strange to say the least), no events, and no way of contacting Ladybug. A few time he had transformed into Chat Noir and gone back to the Eiffel Tower hoping that she might appear there looking for him. His efforts were to no avail as his lady never appeared at the tower, causing his hope to plummet.

He tried his best to push through it, concentrating on his activities and doing his job well, but he was having difficulty. Nino had been doing his best the past few weeks to cheer his mate up and be there for him, but there was only so much he could do. Sure Adrien enjoyed hanging out with Nino and all the extra amount of time they were spending together, but his company was not want he craved. Even occasionally spending time with Alya and Marinette couldn't pull him out of his depression for long. The distraction and joy they brought with them faded immediately each time they left, leaving Adrien in the exact same spot he was before.

"Ladybug, will I ever see you again?"

"Of course you will now stop moping and head over to the buffet table, I can smell the camembert from here." Plagg demanded as he flew out of Adrien's packet.

"Plagg, could you stop thinking about cheese for a few moments and help me out here?"

"Look kid I'm a god not a therapist, now let's head over buffet table and chow down."

"Plagg, I'm serious! It's been weeks since I've seen Ladybug, weeks! There haven't been any akuma attacks or any events held in our honor. What if Hawkmoth gave up and left town? There aren't any future events for Ladybug and Chat Noir, so I can't meet her then. I have no way of contacting her when she isn't transformed! I'm starting to feel like I'll never see her again." Plagg could hear the panic in Adrien's voice as he spoke. He truly began to doubt he would ever see Ladybug again. _Camembert is going to have to wait until I deal with this messy love situation. I will never understand why humans always get caught up in such complicated situations regarding love. Hopefully it won't take long, I hate to leave my beloved cheese waiting for me too long._

"Look kid, just because there hasn't been an akuma attack for a while doesn't mean there'll never be one. Hawkmoth hasn't just decided on a whim to stop terrorizing Paris in an attempt to steal the Ladybug and Chat Noir miraculous, so I can assure you there will be another akuma attack and Ladybug will show up to stop it. You just need to be patient until then."

"I know Plagg, but I just can't stop these feelings of doubt. Besides, even if I do see her again, what then?" Adrien slumped down against a tree with his hands on his knees and his head down. "I completely screwed things up with Ladybug, I've ruined everything."

 _He looks completely defeated._ Thought Plagg as he starred at Adrien. _Why is he so worried about this? Even if Ladybug doesn't return his feelings it's not like their friendship won't continue. They're a team and a really strong one at that. Something this small isn't going to destroy that bond. Now all he has to do is realize this._

"Look kid." Plagg stated as he sat down on Adrien's head. "Ladybug is not about to let something as trivial as this ruin everything. You guys have been fighting together for months, forming an unbreakable bond in the process. Trust that that bond is enough to get you two through this and you'll have no worries."

"You really think so?"

"Of course?" Plagg said with a smirk. "I've been together with hundreds of previous Chat Noir's and trust me when I tell you you're not the first to have Ladybug problems. Now stop mopping and let's go get some cheese, I'm starving!"

"Ok, ok." Adrien said with a chuckle. He couldn't help but to enjoy the moment. It was rare for Plagg to show such concern or give such sage advice, making the moment extra special.

"Besides," Plagg added, "if things don't work out with Ladybug, you could always get together with that Marinette girl."

"Plagg!" Adrien cried.

"What, I'm just saying. She's pretty cute, super nice, and super talented."

"I guess," Adrien reluctantly admitted.

"Plus you guys get along great."

"That's not…" Adrien began before he stopped himself. Plagg _did_ have a point, he and Marinette _did_ get along well. _Not just well, great._ Over the several weeks Adrien had really gotten to know Marinette better and realized he truly enjoyed her company. She was smart, creative, funny, caring, and pretty cute. _How could I have not noticed this before?_ Adrien pondered the thought before realizing Marinette had stopped stuttering and being so nervous around him. He was glad that Marinette stopped being so nervous around him, it definitely helped grow their friendship when she could speak in full, coherent sentences and didn't try to run away every time he approached her.

"I guess we do get along better, now that she's not so afraid of me."

"Glad you finally realized."

Adrien shrugged, "I guess I was too wrapped up in my angst over Ladybug to truly notice. Regardless," Adrien said while shaking his head, "I don't possess any special feelings towards her. Besides, I only have eyes for my lady."

"Tell me about it. Now let's go get that camembert!"

Adrien slowly got up and proceeded to the buffet table where Plagg began enthusiastically mowing through the cheese platter.

"Ok breaks over, places everyone!"

"I can do this." Whispered Adrien to himself. "My bond with Ladybug is stronger than this and when we meet again, I'll fix everything." Adrien walked back onto the shoot with a renewed sense of determination and hope. The rest of the shoot went off without a hick leaving Adrien feeling better and less guilty about the problems he created for Nathalie.

Driving back home from the shoot, Adrien began to plan out what he was going to say to Ladybug when they next met. _Should I just flirt and act like nothing happened until she brings it up or should it be the first thing we talk about?_ Eventually he decided to go with a straight forward approach and just ask her why she left in tears. _I just wish that I knew what the problem was._

* * *

"Do you think he'll like it?"

"Of course he will, you made it yourself with love right. How could he not like it?"

"Hmmm"

"Now all you have to do is give it to him."

"Right, I can do this!"

"That's the spirit and don't even think about chickening out on me."

Marinette and Alya stood in front of the school waiting for Adrien to return from lunch. In her hands, Marinette held a box of chocolate éclairs that she had made for Adrien in hopes of cheering him up. For the past several weeks, Adrien had been in a depressed state. Marinette, Nino, and Alya had all tried their best to cheer him up unsuccessfully. It hurt seeing Adrien in such a state and knowing she was powerless to do anything about it hurt even more. Nevertheless, Marinette was determined to find some way to cheer up Adrien, whether it was inviting him to hang out with her and Alya at the park or giving him a few treats from the family's bakery. This would be the first time that she gave him anything that she had made herself though.

Having grown up in a bakery, Marinette learned a lot about baking and was quite the expert baker herself; however, her clumsy tendencies often led to delicious treats and a complete mess in the kitchen. Her parents decided long ago that it would be best if Marinette stayed out of the kitchen unless it was a special occasion like today.

"He's here!" Marinette cried as Adrien's limo pulled up. "Here goes nothing."

As Marinette walked down the steps towards Adrien, Nino came up and stood next to Alya.

"Another present for Adrien?" Inquired Nino as he looked at Marinette.

"Yeah, a box of éclairs that she made for him herself." Alya replied.

"Made it herself, she's really going all out this time."

"Yeah…" Ever since Marinette noticed Adrien's demeanor a month ago, she became completely focused on cheering him up. Her one track mind even caused Marinette to forget to be nervous around Adrien. Over time Marinette completely stopped stuttering around Adrien and even became comfortable enough around him to actually invite him to hang out. Although Marinette still experienced some moments of nervousness or stuttering, Alya official labeled Marinette as conqueror of her insecurities. And Alya was happy for Marinette, she truly was, but something just wasn't right about the whole situation.

For starters, Marinette's drive to help Adrien bordered on the obsessive. Sure she over the top in the first place when it came to Adrien, what with his pictures all along her walls and the copy of his schedule hanging from her ceiling, but it appeared to Alya as if Marinette step into a whole new level of obsessive. Every free moment she had she seemed to be worrying about Adrien and trying to come up with a plan to cheer him up. The few times she wasn't worrying about Adrien, she became engrossed in her studies or designing. Marinette had already made two swimsuits, 3 shirts, 1 pair of pants, and 6 different hair clips. While Alya did absolutely love the swimsuit, shirt, and hair clips that she got from Marinette, the entire situation seemed wrong, as if Marinette was trying to distract herself from something else.

"Well look at that,"

"What?"

"Adrien's smiling, like with a genuine smile." Alya looked back over to Marinette and Adrien. Adrien was holding the box of éclairs and smiling at Marinette. For a while whenever Adrien smiled his smile always looked faked, but today he seemed to honestly feel happy.

"You're right, he seems genuinely happy."

"I guess whatever was bothering him so much has cleared up," Nino stated with a grin.

"I think you're right."

As Marinette and Adrien walked up the steps into the school building, Alya thought back to Marinette's state of mind 6 weeks ago before she noticed Adrien's mood. The first thing Alya noticed was that Marinette had been crying all night long. Even with the concealer, Alya could see how red and puffy her eyes were. Alya tried her best to get Marinette to talk about, but she refused to answer choosing to instead just slump in her seat. Eventually Alya gave up not wanting to push Marinette into talking about anything she didn't feel comfortable discussing; although, her reporter instincts were screaming at her to keep pressing until she found out the truth. She kept her instincts in check though, valuing being a good friend over satisfying her own personal desires. It wasn't much later until Marinette began throwing out design after design and obsessing over making Adrien smile. With everything going on, Alya couldn't help but think this whole situation was all a distraction to prevent Marinette from thinking about whatever it was that was bothering her.

To further solidify her concerns, Marinette had taken down almost all her photos of Adrien and removed his schedule from her ceiling. The only photo left was a framed photo of him, which she kept faced down on her desk most of the time. With everything going so well with Adrien, it seemed odd that Marinette would do that. When Alya questioned Marinette about it, she replied, "Oh, I just thought that it was a little much. I mean do I really need like one hundred photos of my crus…Adrien adorning my walls?" It made sense logically and Alya was glad that Marinette was toning it down a little, but the way that Marinette replied sounded so sad. There was a deeper meaning as to why Marinette removed all of those photos, but Alya couldn't figure out what would cause such a reaction.

"Argh!" Alya groaned as she walked together with Nino towards the classroom.

"What's wrong hun?" He asked, concerned at her sudden outburst.

"Nothing, just thinking about Marinette." Nino placed a comforting arm around Alya and gave her a quick kiss on her temple.

"Don't worry so much. I'm sure that whatever has been bothering Marinette will solve itself in time, just like with Adrien. Constantly worrying about it isn't going to help." Nino also noticed Marinette's behavior during the past several weeks and was concerned. The two had spent a lot of time together discussing their best friends' strange behavior and trying their best to be there for them.

"I know, I just wish that I knew exactly what was going on so I could do a better job of helping her through it."

"I know babe, I wish that for myself with Adrien sometimes. I guess the best we can do is to just be there for them and support them even if we don't know the details of the situation."

Alya smiled, "I think just being there is enough." Nino nodded in agreement as the two entered the classroom and sat down for class.

* * *

"Okay, so first I need to go to the fabric store and pick up about 10 feet of red cotton…"

"Marinette…"

"With that I can start on this new dress design…"

"Marinette."

"I can only work on it for a few hours though, since I really need to start studying for the end of year exams…"

"MARINETTE!"

Marinette jumped, startled at Tikki's sudden outburst.

"Marinette, this has been going on for too long. It has already been over a month; you can't keep avoiding this."

"I'm not avoiding anything, I've just been very busy and haven't had a lot of time to deal with this."

Tikki just stared at Marinette without saying a word. She knew Marinette kept herself busy to avoid talking about it and she knew that Marinette was aware of that very fact, even if she wouldn't admit it out loud.

The morning after the incident with Chat Noir, Tikki got up early hoping to talk to Marinette. However, immediately after getting up Marinette stated she didn't have time for a chat and needed to get ready for school. Tikki let the subject drop, deciding that it would be better to give Marinette a little time. After school, Tikki broached the subject again only for Marinette to say she needed to focus on cheering up Adrien. When Tikki brought it up a third time a few days later, Marinette suddenly became engrossed in her designs. Each and every time Tikki tried to have a conversation about her feelings towards Chat Noir, Marinette managed to bury herself under a pile of work. Tikki understood her reluctance and was willing to give her the time and space she needed to sort everything out, but her patience was running thin. Over a month had past, enough was enough. Marinette was going to talk about her confusing feelings whether she liked it or not.

"I don't care if you're busy, make time because this is important." Tikki adamantly stated.

Marinette took one look at Tikki's determined stare and sat down on her computer chair. _Well, it's not like I could avoid it forever._ Marinette concluded. _And now is as good a time as any to talk._

"Ok Tikki you win, so where do you want to begin?"

Tikki sighed in relief before flying around Marinette's room. "Let's start with why you removed all of Adrien's posters from your wall." Tikki motioned at the now almost bare walls surrounding the room. Marinette shifted uncomfortably, clearly not wanting to answer the question. Tikki waited patiently for her response, despite already knowing the reason why. She needed to hear it and Marinette needed to say it out loud.

Marinette fiddled with her hands for a bit before finally speaking. "I couldn't take it anymore, those green eyes staring at me. It made me feel as if Adrien was staring at me, judging me for kissing Chat Noir when I'm in love with him."

"Is that the only reason?"

"…no. His eyes remind me of Chat Noir's eyes." Marinette gazed around the room at where her old Adrien posters once hung. "Those emerald green eyes kept forcing me to think about Chat, about how I just left him without a word. I couldn't take the guilt anymore, so I removed the posters." _Why do they have to have the same eyes? It also doesn't help that they're both blonds, about the same age and height. Both excellent fighters._ Marinette thought back to a fencing tournament she went to where Adrien won first place. _God, they even sound the same! Their similarities are driving me crazy._

"So what is your reason for removing Adrien's schedule? It didn't have any pictures of Adrien on it."

"I…" Marinette hesitated. Why did she remove Adrien's schedule from her ceiling? Unlike the photos which reminded her of Chat, the schedule had nothing to do with him. The day she cleared her walls, she also removed the schedule. "I guess because I just felt like I didn't need it anymore."

"Why would you feel that way? I thought you liked knowing where Adrien was?"

"I did…I mean I do!" Marinette exclaimed desperately. "I-I-I just was removing everything else, so why not take down the schedule as well. Besides, it's a little too stalker to have an entire copy of his schedule just hanging in my room. I mean, who does that?" Tikki inwardly smiled, knowing full well the answer was forced. She'd seen this reaction enough times with previous Ladybugs to know exactly what Marinette was thinking, even if she was too stubborn to admit it herself.

"So then you must be having the time of your life spending so much a lone time with Adrien?"

"Of course!" Marinette stated truthfully. She really was enjoying spending time with Adrien and getting to know him better. Since her nervousness and stuttering went down, she's been able to hold longer and more in depth conversations with Adrien, allowing her to learn a lot more about him. His favorite movies, what subjects he enjoys the most, his career in the fashion industry, and stories about his mother. Marinette never talked to Adrien about his mother before, but knew about her disappearance two years ago. Since it what such a high profile case, her disappearance was all over the news for two straight weeks. Everyone was talking about Gabriel Agreste's wife disappearing, coming up with their own speculations, attempting their own investigations, or just expressing sympathies towards the family. Eventually the mayhem died down and the media moved on to other stories, but Marinette still remembered the story.

Marinette loved how Adrien lit up whenever he spoke about the times he spent with his mother. From family vacations, picnics in the park, or playing games with her in his room. Marinette couldn't help but giggle at the thought of _the_ Mrs. Agreste, a world famous model, playing video games and foosball with Adrien in his room. His mother seemed to be his source of love, affection, and friendship, losing her left a hole in his life.

"That's why I was so desperate to go to public school and make friends." Adrien told Marinette one day when they were in the park. "Being homeschooled wasn't so bad when she was around, but after she disappeared the mansion just felt so empty."

Marinette was seeing a whole new side to Adrien. Underneath all the smiles, underneath all the laughter, underneath all the genuine care he displayed towards others was a very lonely boy. Marinette practically kicked herself for not noticing. She was in love with him and had been watching him for months, but somehow missed the extent of his loneliness. Sure she noticed how busy he was, what little time he seemed to spend with his father, how cold Nathalie and his body guard seemed to be. She also knew Chloe had been his only friend for the first fifteen years of his life; nevertheless, she never realized just how deep his loneliness went. Furthermore, she was surprised to learn how much Adrien enjoyed taking long strolls. His extrovert personality and comfort around other people suggested that he would enjoy parties and gatherings with others the most. Adrien admitted while he does enjoy being around other people and wishes he could attend more parties, he also enjoys spending time just walking outside. Being a celebrity means receiving a lot of attention and sometimes he just needs a break.

Marinette marveled about everything she learned regarding Adrien over the weeks and smiled to herself how close they became as friends. Friends. Marinette adored Adrien, it was clear to anyone who bothered to pay attention; however, it became clear as the weeks went on that Adrien did not feel the same about Marinette. As more time past, Marinette was finding it harder and harder to deny what she suspected was true; Adrien was in love with someone and that someone wasn't her.

The clues where subtle, like the time they were taking a stroll through the city and passed by a jewelry store. Marinette stopped to stare at a beautiful necklace. When she pointed it out to Adrien he replied, "Beautiful, it would really enhance your blue eyes." Marinette began blushes profusely, but stopped when she heard his next comment. "I wonder if it would enhance the blue in her eyes as well." It was no louder than a whisper, but Marinette heard clearly.

Or the time when the four of them, Nino, Alya, Adrien, and Marinette were sitting together in the park during lunch. All four of them were involved in an exciting conversation about Jagged Stone's new album set to release in a few days. During the conversation, Marinette noticed that Adrien became quiet. When Marinette inquired what was wrong he responded, "Nothing, just thinking about someone." Marinette felt a sharp pain in her chest as she looked at Adrien. Love and pure adoration were evident all over his face; whomever he was thinking about, he was think about fondly.

It hurt knowing that Adrien was in love with someone else, hurt to know that her fantasies of them being together were just that, fantasies. Marinette was dying to know who the girl was, but at the same time thought, _do I really want to know?_

Looking back on the whole situation brought back all the pain, hurt, and another feeling that Marinette still couldn't place. She felt it after determining without a doubt that Adrien was in love with someone else, but had difficulty identifying what that feeling was. Trying to keep her emotions in check, Marinette buried the feeling deep down along with her pain. She was spending time with Adrien in hopes of making _him_ feel better, not herself. Nevertheless, her feelings could not stay buried for long and this conversation with Tikki caused all those feelings to resurface.

Marinette looked at Tikki, who continued floating in silence. Tikki was determined to make Marinette talk about her feelings, but still knew that she needed to give her time to sort them all out. _Tikki's patience and understanding are astounding._ Marinette smiled as she cupped Tikki in her hands and nuzzled her against her cheek.

"*Giggle*, what was that for?" Asked Tikki.

"Just a thank you for being such a great friend and the best kwami I know."

Tikki looked at Marinette knowingly. "Did you realize something when you were thinking about the time you spent with Adrien?"

"Kinda, I remembered my feelings when I found out that he was in love with someone else. It hurt knowing I didn't have a chance with him, but there was another feeling present as well that I just can't place." Marinette frowned as she thought about the emotion.

"Could it have been relief?" Tikki inquired.

"As if, why would I feel relief over Adrien being in love with someone else and completely closing the door on any chance I have with him? Erasing any guilt I feel over…" Marinette gasped at the sudden realization. A grin slowly encompassed Tikki's face. _About time she noticed._ Tikki thought to herself.

"So what does this mean for you and Chat?" Marinette thought for a moment. _There's no point in denying my feelings towards Chat Noir, those became apparent the moment I kissed him back. It may have occurred suddenly, but I know I've fallen in love with Chat Noir._

"I…I still love Adrien. I may have fallen for Chat Noir, but I still have feelings for Adrien. Tikki, what do I do?" Marinette pleaded. As tears threaten to fall, Tikki flew over to her charge.

"Shush, shush its ok Marinette," Tikki soothed. "There's nothing wrong with being in love with two people at once. Adrien was your first love after all, those feelings aren't going to disappear overnight just because you've found someone else you love. Everything will be ok."

"But what do I do Tikki? What do I do about Chat Noir?"

"Whatever you want. Just because you've developed feelings towards Chat Noir doesn't mean that you have to be with him. Continue pursuing Adrien, start a relationship with Chat Noir, or just remain friends with both of them; the choice is yours."

Marinette got up and walk over to her window. _Tikki's right, I don't have to do anything if I don't want to._ As Marinette's anxiety slowly melted away, it was replaced with a new found sense of confidence. _Now I just have to figure out what it is that I want?_

The street lights of Paris illuminated one by one. Marinette thought they looked lovely, she always enjoyed the glow of the street lamps at night. She found an even greater enjoyment peering at them ever since that night with Chat Noir.

"I've figured out what I want to do," Marinette suddenly exclaimed. "But first, I need to speak to Chat Noir again, but who knows when I'll see him again. Plus I have no way of contacting him."

"You may be able to find him at the Eiffel Tower if you're lucky. That was where you last parted ways so he might be in the habit of visiting the tower in hopes of seeing you again."

Marinette paused. She never considered the fact that Chat Noir might be actively looking for her. Since they had no way of contacting each other, she just assumed he'd be waiting for an akuma attack or something to meet up again. Although, considering how long it's been since the last attack (which was unusual), it made sense that Chat grew tired of waiting and was actively trying to find her.

"Great idea. Tikki transforme moi!"

* * *

 **Author's Note: So apparently Marinette does have some really tiny freckles in the show, who knew. Also, despite the fact that there is no indication in the show, Thomas Astruc tweeted in 2015 yes to the question of whether night patrols are canon. I'm be adding in the patrol later in the story.  
**


	7. Chapter 7: A New Beginning, for Real

**Author's Note: Marinette does feeling guilty about how she left things with Chat hence the real reason why she removed Adrien's posters from around her room and her internal dialog at the end of chapter 5. I clearly failed as a writer to make her guilt clear, so I shall be going back and revising those chapters a little. Enjoy!**

Chapter 7: A New Beginning, for Real this Time

Chat Noir continued jumping from building to building until he landed on the roof across from Nino's house. Peering into his window, he could see Nino sitting at his computer with his headphones on. Chat Noir watched Nino in silence as he worked, occasionally removing a CD from the computer's disk drive and inserting another one. _I could just transform back, knock on the door, and tell Nino…tell him what exactly!_ Chat Noir hissed in frustration. He wasn't in the mood to come up with another lie explaining how he was able to sneak out of his house after curfew or why he needed Nino's companionship so badly. _I could always just vaguely tell him about my fight with my dad._ Chat Noir thought about this plan Nino for a minute before tossing the idea aside. _That won't work, I'd still have to come up with a lie for half the story._

"Argh!" Chat Noir cried. He was feeling angry, frustrated, fearful, but most of all lonely, so very lonely. After leaving his house, seeking an escape from the suffocating atmosphere, he instinctively went to Nino's house. He craved his companionship, the support and understanding he knew he would receive from him. _Maybe I could just appear to his as Chat Noir and, no, no, that would be stupid. Maybe I could appear as Adrien and just tell him…_ Chat Noir paced back and forth on the roof thinking for several minutes on how he could approach Nino without raising any suspicions before eventually giving up. As Chat Noir continued jumping across the roof tops, he glanced back at Nino who was settling down for the night.

Maneuvering through the night with no destination in mind, Chat Noir's thought back on the incident earlier today with his father.

 _Leave it to him not to notice what was going on with me for 6 whole weeks._ Thought Chat as his father berated him.

Adrien was surprised when Nathalie appeared in his room for two reasons, it was pretty late and she said his father wished to see him. It was rare for his father to request an audience with him, usually it was Adrien trying to speak to his dad. Confused yet excited that his father wanted to spend time with him, Adrien gladly accompanied Nathalie to his father's study. However, when they arrived, Adrien was met with the disapproving eyes of his father. Word finally reached Gabriel's ears about his son's less than stellar performance over the past several weeks and needless to say he was not pleased.

"I'm sorry father," Adrien replied. "I was going through something and it was affecting me in a negative way, but I'm over it now."

"I can assure you that what Adrien says is correct," interjected Nathalie. "Ever since the photo shoot last Saturday, Adrien has been in top form."

"I see." Gabriel stated as he stared out the window. Adrien internally shuddered, he knew what was going to happen next and he dreaded it.

"Nathalie, could you wait outside." Gabriel commanded.

"Certainly sir." Nathalie nodded her head in compliance before closing the doors behind her as she exited the room.

"F-Father I can…" Adrien began.

"You can what, Adrien explain why your piano recital practices were a disaster. How you managed to lose a practice fight in fencing to Oscar of all people. The 14 on your pop quiz in physics. Or maybe you'd like to explain all the time you've been spending with a certain bad influence that I told you to stay away from." Gabriel slowly turned around to face Adrien.

Adrien cringed. The way he spoke, never raising his voice, disturbed Adrien to no end. He would honestly feel more relaxed and comfortable if his dad did just yell at him like a normal parent would. The monotone, finite way he spoke would usually cause Adrien to give up and admit defeat. Usually, but not always and today was one of those special occasions.

"Nino has nothing to do with this."

"Oh really, is that so."

"Yes." Adrien said with a sense of determination and force. "Nino noticed I was in a slump and went out of his way to pull me out of it. It's because of his friendship I was able to bounce back."

"If it wasn't Nino's bad influence that caused your poor performance, then what was?"

"I…I can't tell you that." Adrien looked down in defeat.

"So I'm just supposed to believe you when you say that Nino had nothing to do with it."

"You should believe me because it's the truth. Like it or not I can't be perfect and flawless all the time, I'm a human being not a robot. Maybe if you spend less time working and more time actually being a father towards me then you'd know that!" Adrien swelled with confidence as the conversation continued. He was finally standing to his father and it felt great up until the point when Gabriel became visibly angry. Adrien slowly began to sink into himself as he watched his father's eyebrows furrow, his eye narrow, and his mouth twist into a grimace. Adrien knew he had gone too far.

"I-I-I'm sorry, I did-didn't mean…" Adrien stammered out in desperation.

"Adrien." All it took was that one, icy word to shut Adrien up. "You are fully aware that I am a very busy man. Everything you have, everything that I have provided for you requires me to sacrifice a lot of my time. I cannot allow myself to be distracted by each and every little thing that occurs."

"Yes father."

"You are my son and my namesake. I don't want to hear any excuses regarding why you were less that flawless at any point in time. I expect you to always perform at très bien levels no matter what. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes father."

"Good." Gabriel proceeded back to the window before continuing. "Now, I shall overlook this little slip up and trust you are telling me the truth about Nino's involvement, but I want your word that this will never happened again."

"Yes father."

"Furthermore, to make up for your transgressions, you are grounded until the end of the school year and expected to make 20 in all of your classes; understood."

"Yes father."

"You may go now."

Adrien slowly turned the knob and proceeded back to his room.

"Man, that guy is such a slave driver," said Plagg as he flew out of Adrien's pocket. "Grounded for the next 2 weeks and expected to get perfect scores in every subject, what is he nuts! And all just because you got 14 on a quiz and screwed up in a few practices. 14 is still a high grade and it's called practice for a reason!"

"It doesn't matter Plagg if it was just practice or the real deal, an Agreste must be perfect at all times; and the only good grades in my father's eyes are 18 and above, everything else is just worthless."

Adrien slumped down on his bed and screamed into his pillow. "It's too suffocating in here, I need some fresh air. Plagg transforme moi!"

And with that, Chat Noir was out the window and jumping across rooftops with ease. Stopping by Nino's house before continuing his nightly stroll.

Adrien loved being Chat Noir, the power, the excitement, but most of all the freedom. Being Chat Noir allowed him to breathe and behavior however he wanted to. No rules, no image to keep up, no father to adhere to, and no standard to maintain; he could be who he wanted to be and did just that. Entertaining himself with endless puns, showing off his masterful fighting skills, and flirting with his lady… _Ladybug?_ Chat Noir stopped in his tracks; he was at the Eiffel Tower. Without even thinking, Chat Noir's feet automatically carried him to the Eiffel Tower. Upon arriving, he glanced upward towards the apartment where he'd setup his first date with Ladybug. Expecting to see nothing more than the wooden door, Chat Noir was stunned when he saw Ladybug standing there. She was casually leaning against the railing with her back towards Chat, humming a tune.

"Ladybug," Chat whispered as the raced towards the tower. _Is this really happening? Is my lady truly there? If this is all a dream, please don't wake me up._ Within seconds Chat Noir's baton took him to the landing where his eyes connected with hers. They stood there awkwardly for a few moments before Ladybug gave a shy wave.

"Hey Chat," she said. Chat Noir didn't reply, didn't smile, or show any emotion at all. Instead, he walked over to Ladybug, took one look at her, and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Chat, what are you doing? Chat, answer me…Chat?"

Chat Noir remained silent, hugging Ladybug as tears began to drip down his cheeks. After the initial shock wore off, Ladybug held him back and began to stroke his hair.

"There, there," she soothed. All it took was one look, one embrace, one word of comfort in her voice, and Chat Noir felt completely at ease. In that instance, all his negative emotions washed away being replace with a sense of calm. _Damn, I have it bad._ Thought Chat Noir as he pulled out of the hug, composing himself.

"Chat, what's wrong?" Inquired Ladybug.

"Nothing," replied Chat as he wiped away a few stray tears. "It's just been a while and I'm so happy to see you again." Ladybug frowned before placing her hand on his cheek. She knew he was lying, there was more to this than him simply missing her; nevertheless, she was not about to pry into his personal affairs if he didn't want her to.

Chat placed his hand over Ladybug's and smiled. After so many weeks here she was, right when he needed her most. He reveled in the moment; the warmth of her touch, the sight of her gleaming blue eyes, the faint smell of roses she possessed. He wanted this moment to last as long as possible, but there was something gnawing him, something he just had to know. Slowly removing her hand from his cheek, he looked into Ladybug's eyes and asked. "Why did you leave before?"

Ladybug froze and visibly tensed. Looking down and away, she took a few steps back.

"I'm sorry for leaving you without saying anything. Truth be told I came to the Eiffel Tower preparing to turn you down, but then you took me to the apartment where you had setup the most romantic date ever. When you told me how you truly felt, how you truly saw me I felt my heart race." Ladybug shifted from looking towards the ground to looking Chat in the eyes as she spoke. "I've fallen for you Chat Noir, silly puns and all."

A smile quickly spread across Chat Noir's face, but before he could open his mouth to speak, Ladybug stopped him. "Before you do or say anything though I have to tell you, there's someone else."

Chat Noir paused. _Someone else, please don't tell me._ "You have a boyfriend." Chat's ears drooped.

"What? No, it's nothing like that!" Ladybug frantically explained. "It's just a guy that I've loved for a long time. We're nothing more than friends, he doesn't know about my feelings for him, and I've never had the courage to confess. When you kissed me that night, when I realized my feelings towards you I felt guilty. Guilty because I felt like I was betraying my feelings towards him. I didn't know what to do so I panicked and left you without a word. I'm sorry."

Chat Noir just stood there with his eyes drooped, looking at the ground in silence. Ladybug began to inwardly panic as Chat continued to say nothing. Tikki always told her to be honest about her feelings with Chat Noir, so here she was telling him the truth. She wished he would say something to break the awkward silence though.

"Do you still love him?" Chat Noir finally asked.

"I do. My feelings towards him are not going to disappear overnight, but I…"

"That's okay!" Chat interrupted, "you don't have to go into further detail, I understand."

"Understand, Chat I'm not done…"

"Its fine, you don't have to finish!" _Why? Why today of all days do I have to hear Ladybug's rejection? I don't think I can handle this, not today._

"You don't understand Chat…"

"I understand perfectly, you'd rather be with him than me." Chat Noir turned and jumped on the railing not wanting Ladybug to see the tears gathering in his eyes. "Don't worry about me, I'll be fine. And don't worry about our team dynamic, I won't let this interfere with our heroic duties. Now if you'll excuse me." Chat began to jump off the tower, only to be forcefully yanked back by his tail.

"Stupid Cat!" Ladybug cried.

"Ouch! What was that for?" Chat said as he stood up rubbing his tail.

"I want to be with you!" Ladybug finally managed to spit out. "I'm saying that I want to be with you."

 _Wait, what?_ "B-b-but that other guy you were talking about, you said you still love him?"

"I did and I do. As I was saying my feelings towards him are not going to disappear overnight, but I want to move passed him with you." Ladybug smiled. "If you'll have me that is."

Chat Noir was flabbergasted. "Why wouldn't I want you?"

"Because I have such a fickle heart and because I just ran off that night without a word. I also didn't even try to find you afterwards to explain my actions. I'm hoping though that with time I'll prove to you that I'm serious about being with you."

Chat Noir looked at Ladybug for a moment, before bursting out in laughter.

"Don't laugh, I'm being serious here!"

"I-I-I know, ha, I just can't, haha, believe, haha, that you really thought, ha, that I wouldn't want to be with you over, haha, something like that." Chat Noir was having a hard time talking through his fits of laughter. He took a moment to fully compose himself before continuing.

"So you have a guy that you've been crushing on for a while and you're not completely over him. That doesn't mean that you have a fickle heart and it sure as hell isn't going to stop me." Chat Noir walked over to Ladybug and gently placed his hand on her cheek. "Besides, I'm more than confident I can make you forget all about him, Buginette."

Staring into her dazzling blue eyes, Chat continued. "I understand why you left you were confused, hurt and I don't hold that against you. What matters now is that you're here with me."

Placing his hand on her waist, Chat Noir took one look at her luscious lips before leaning in for a kiss. Ladybug closed her eyes, waiting in anticipation for the sweet taste of his lips. As Chat Noir inched closed, an explosion went off nearby. The two heroes jumped and turned into the direction of the noise.

"I looks like this is going to have to wait, mon minou." Ladybug stated while taking out her yo-yo and swinging away.

"Are you kidding me?" Chat Noir growled in frustration while taking out his baton. "This cannot seriously be happening right now."


	8. Chapter 8: Are You Kidding Me?

**WARNING: Chapter contains gun violence**

 **Author's Note: I am not an expert on the rating system, but I figure T is the same as PG-13 so if it occurs in a PG-13 movie/ TV show then it is appropriate for my story. Nevertheless, I will add warnings at the beginning of any chapter I may question the appropriateness of.**

* * *

Chapter 8: Are You Kidding Me?

As Ladybug approached the location of the bang, she began contemplating what kind of akuma was attacking. If it was able to cause explosions, then she and Chat Noir would have to be extra careful. Their suits were made of an extremely durable material however, that material was incapable of protecting them from a direct hit by an exploding device.

Deciding to take the stealth approach, Ladybug landed on a nearby roof. Crouching, she slowly peered over the ledge expecting to find some sort of masked villain. Instead she found a truck, a gaping hole in the side of a building, and four disguised people quickly loading boxes into the truck.

"Hurry up, we need to leave soon before the flics (cops) arrive." A fifth voice shouted from the driver's seat of the van.

"Well this certainly is a sur-purrr-ise." Chat purred as he crouched down next to Ladybug.

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "An old fashion warehouse robbery, this should be quick."

"After you my lady," Chat placed his hand out in the air and gave a slight bow.

"Always the gentleman," Ladybug replied as she swung down to the street.

"I don't think those belong to you."

The robbers gasped as they spied Ladybug and Chat Noir. "Ladybug and Chat Noir, what are you doing here?"

"We were just out for a midnight stroll when we heard the explosion and became curious." Chat Noir replied.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that curiosity killed the cat."

"But satisfaction brought it back."

"Let's see you come back from this!" The four criminals dropped their boxes, pulled out guns, and began shooting at our heroes. Each swinging their respective weapons, they managed to deflect all the bullets.

"We need to surround them." Ladybug said. "I'll head right towards the van, you circle around their left. We'll attack when they run out of bullets and reload."

"Understood." Chat Noir replied. As the two swiftly maneuvered into place, the crooks panicked causing their aim and ability to think to deteriorate. _Just a few more moments and they'll be out of bullets._ Thought Chat, continuing his approach.

"Aaah!" Chat's ears perked up at the sound of Ladybug's scream.

"Ladybug!" Chat Noir quickly turned and raced towards Ladybug, twirling his baton along the way. Using the momentary distraction, the criminals proceeded to the van. Ladybug flung her yo-yo at the van hitting it on the side as it drove off.

"Ladybug! What happened, you're hurt."

"I got hit from behind by a ricochet bullet." Ladybug replied while clasping her leg. "It's just a flesh wound, nothing to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about, you're bleeding! Here let me see." Chat forcefully removed Ladybug's hand to inspect the wound. Ladybug winced, also taking the opportunity to gauge the severity of the wound. The bullet grazed her upper thigh leaving a long red gash in its wake. Ladybug, being accustomed to injuries in her civilian form, knew the wound was not life threatening, but would need stitches. _I can't go after them like this, but I can't just let them get away...whoa!_

"Chat, what you are doing!" Cried Ladybug. Chat abruptly picked Ladybug up in his arms princess style and was swiftly carrying her away to an unknown location.

"I'm taking you to a hospital before you bleed to death." Chat hastily replied, his voice filled with panic.

"There's no need Chaton it is not that serious, trust me." Ladybug flipped open her yo-yo and pointed to a spot on the map. "I need you to take me here."

"Why there?" Chat inquired as he headed in the direction on the screen.

"There I can get the supplies necessary to bandage my wound, plus the shop is currently open which means the clerk can help me get the supplies I need. While I'm patching myself up, you need to pursue the criminals."

"You expect me to just leave you there, severely injured!"

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. Like I said, the wound is not that serious and I'm used to treating injuries like this." Ladybug thought back to all the injuries she sustained due to her clumsiness or her parents sustained operating the bakery. _Oh the painful life of a baker._

"Either way they're long gone and I have no method of tracking them." Chat jumped down from the rooftop and landed in front of the store as he spoke.

"Not true. I used my yo-yo to place a tracking device on the van when they drove away. I can share the coordinates with you."

"La-la-ladybug, Chat Noir!" The store clerk squealed in delight. Chat Noir gently sat Ladybug down as the store clerk rushed to her side.

"Oh my god! What happened to you?"

"I was injured in a fight, but the wound looks worse than it is. I'll need your help though to clean and dress the wound. Will you assist me?"

"Of course, I'd be willing to do anything for Paris' mighty heroes."

A warm smiled spread across her face. "Thank you." Turning to Chat she said, "I'm in good hands here Chat, now go get them." Chat Noir gave Ladybug's hand one last squeeze before turning to leave.

"And Chat," he looked back, "please be safe."

"I purr-omise."

* * *

 _Those bastards! How dare they hurt my lady._ Chat Noir checked his baton to ensure he was headed in the right direction. The van was moving at a constant, but reasonable pace, clearly the thieves were trying not to draw any attention to themselves. _If they think they can get away with this then they are sorely mistaken._ Chat Noir's anger slowly shifted to sorrow when he thought about Ladybug and the state he left her in. _This never should've happened. How did I allow this to happen? I'm supposed to keep her safe, not allow harm to befall her. And you call yourself her knight._ When the van stopped at a red light, Chat saw his opportunity.

"Cataclysm," he cried while leaping onto the van. Within seconds the van disintegrated leaving the crooks and they're stolen loot sprawled out on the street. Chat Noir stared at their shocked and confused faces.

"What's a matter, chat got your tongue?"

Immediately Chat grabbed the closest man and flung her across the street into the side of a building. A punch in the face and a swift kick to the gut took out the second man with ease, but the last three were not so easily defeated. By the time Chat addressed the remaining three, two were already armed with their guns, and the third located halfway down an adjacent street. Chat Noir leaped backwards, proceeding to twirl his baton in defense. He was glad to see the street empty as the bullets rained down around him, he'd hate it if a civilian sustained an injury during the shoot-out.

Having no choice but to stand there and defend, Chat Noir watched in frustration as the third assailant disappeared. Then, adding insult to injury, the remaining two split up firing in turns as they headed in separate directions. _Are you kidding me? Damn it!_ Chat Noir jumped onto a nearby rooftop, chasing one of the suspects from a safe distance.

Chat Noir heard his baton ringing and took out to answer. "Ladybug, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, just called to tell you I finished stitching up my wound and check to see if you're okay."

"But of course my lady, not a scratch on this cat."

"How's the fight going?"

"I managed to take out the van and two suspects on Rue de Pouy and Rue Bobillot. The last three split up and I'm in pursuit of one."

"Hang tight, I'm sending back up your way."

"Back up? What are you talk..." Chat Noir was interrupted by his target stopping in an alley way to catch his breath.

"Hang on, I'll call you in a second." Chat Noir ended the call and extended his baton towards the man. With one swing of his weapon, he knocked the man out cold.

 _Weeru, Weeru, Weeru_

 _Police sirens, perfect!_ Chat Noir dragged the unconscious man to the edge of the street when a police car appeared.

"Chat Noir, officer Sûreté at your service. Is that one of the five thieves who robbed the warehouse earlier tonight?" Inquired Sûreté.

"Well yes, but how did you know about the robbery?"

"Heard the explosion same as you, but arrived too late to help capture the criminals." The officer cuffed the suspect and placed him in the back of his police car. "Then we received a call from Lieutenant Roger Raincomprix informing us of the situation. He received this information from Ladybug, who called him after you dropped her off. It was thanks to her that we were able to find you and arrest the criminals."

Chat Noir smiled in appreciation. _My Lady thinks of everything._

"She's currently back at the police station talking to the capitaine."

"How many of the criminals do you have so far?"

"Four, it looks like the driver got away."

"Who are they?"

"I don't know for sure, but they might be part of a gang that's been active around Paris lately. Smuggling drugs, possession of illegal firearms, and theft seem to be their forte." Chat Noir remembered vaguely hearing something about the gang on the news. "We've never managed to catch any of the criminals, so we have little information to go on. That's about all I can tell you, the rest is classified information."

"Classified information? How are Ladybug and I supposed to catch them if we don't have all the facts?"

"You're not." The office proceeded to his car. "Thank you for your assistance tonight, but this is a job for the police." And with that, the officer drove away.

"Are you kidding me? He just said they never managed to capture any members of the gang until tonight. If it wasn't for Ladybug and I they'd still have no arrests, that's gratitude for you." Chat Noir turned and headed in the direction of the police station, eager to see Ladybug again.

* * *

"Capitaine, I think you should really reconsider your decision. Ladybug and Chat Noir are the heroes of Paris, their help is invaluable to us." Lieutenant Raincomprix reasoned.

"Heroes or not they are still civilians and not cleared to handle these types of jobs. Their job is to stop akuma and rescue cats out of trees, leave the pursuit and arrest of normal criminals up to the police." Capitaine Têtu commanded.

"But sir…"

"No buts, my decision is final."

"Capitaine Têtu, please excuse my forwardness, but you need us." Ladybug, who had been sitting there quietly listening to the conversation, spoke up.

"Excuse me?"

"You said so yourself earlier that if it wasn't for Chat Noir and I you wouldn't have any leads on the gang. Please believe me when I say that I am not trying to overstep our authority or undermine your own, but when I stood up on the Eiffel Tower 9 months ago I promised the citizens of Paris that Chat Noir and I would do everything in our power to keep them safe. Be it an akuma attack, robbery, helicopter crash, or _yes_ a cat stuck in a tree it is our duty to help out."

"Oh really and how exactly do you plan on doing that? You and Chat Noir only appear when you observe danger and unlike an akuma or accident, criminals don't really announce their presence. In and out in the dead of night as quietly and inconspicuous as they can be. You got lucky with this current group, they screwed up setting the charge and caused more noise than intended. You won't be this lucky next time."

Ladybug stood up ready to protest, but winced as pain traveled up her leg. After stitching up the wound, she de-transformed and retransformed to repair her suit and start the healing process. Nevertheless, it would be awhile before the wound completely healed. She scowled and clenched her fists in anger as she sat back down. _This stubborn, egotistical fool…no, calm down Ladybug, getting angry isn't going to get you anyway. Besides, he does have a point about how Chat Noir and I discover situations requiring our help._ Ladybug rested her elbow on her left hand, bringing her right hand to her chin in contemplation. _Maybe if we patrolled the city like the cops do, then we would be able to provide assistance in stopping criminals. Another bonus, we'd gain the ability to receive calls from them requesting our aid._

Smiling, Ladybug replied, "I wouldn't doubt my ability to be lucky, I am Ladybug the hero of luck after all, but you do have a point. What if Chat Noir and I began patrolling the city at night? We would be able to stop any crimes that we come across. Plus if we keep to a set schedule, we'd be available if you need to call us. What do you say?"

"It's a great idea capitaine and I think it would work." Lieutenant Raincomprix suggested. "Besides, we can't exactly stop them from patrolling on their own at night. Better to work together than apart."

Scowling, the capitaine turned around in his chair. After a few moments, he turned back around. "Fine, I will allow Ladybug and Chat Noir to patrol during the night and in honor of this new found partnership I will allow them to assist one time only on this case. Lieutenant Raincomprix, you are in charge of ironing out the details. You are both dismissed."

Both Ladybug and Lieutenant Raincomprix exited the office. _Allow my ass, he just doesn't want to admit that he needs us for this case and can't stop us from patrolling. His attempts as saving face are so transparent._ A smile slowly spread across Ladybug's face. _Still, at least we got the outcome we wanted. I just hope Chat Noir isn't upset that I signed him up for extra hero work without his permission. Well even if he is against it I can just perform the duties myself, I don't want to force him into something that he doesn't want to do after all._

"Thank you for advocating so hard for us Lieutenant."

"Oh it's my pleasure Ladybug, and it's the least I can do after you saved me when I was Rogercop, twice." Ladybug winced a bit. While she had nothing to do with his akumatization the first time around, she couldn't help but fill a little guilty about the second time with Puppeteer. _Come on Marinette, you can't beat yourself up over that. How were you supposed to know the dolls you innocently made would be used to harm your friends and their families._

"Now let's start ironing out the details of the deal…"

"LADYBUG!" Ladybug turned just in time to see Chat embrace her in a bear hug.

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug cried with her feet dangling inches above the ground. "We're in the middle of the police station!"

Chat Noir immediately let go and placed his hand behind his neck. "Heh, my bad I was just so glad to see you I got carried away."

Ladybug groaned as she heard the various chuckles of the police officers around the station. Chat Noir turned slightly red and looked down in shame.

"How about we continue talking in my office." Lieutenant Raincomprix offered.

"Gladly." The two replied in unison.

* * *

"So we'll begin patrol each night at 9:00 p.m. at the Eiffel Tower." Chat Noir confirmed. "If we spot any criminals activity we are to call the flics (cops) first and then engage. Patrol officers will continue their usually duties unless they find themselves in a situation where they need our help. In which case they'll call us on our communicators. Furthermore, we will be working together with the police force on this one case only. Did I miss anything?"

"No, that pretty much summarizes everything."

Chat Noir and Ladybug stood on the rooftop reviewing everything they discussed during their meeting with Lieutenant Raincomprix. During the meeting they received all the information the cops had on the gang and determined the plan for patrol. Chat Noir was surprised, but eager to participant when he heard about the patrol schedule. "I'm purr-fectly happy with going on patrol regularly. Any plan that ensures I get to see you on a regular basis is paw-sitively purr-recious." Furthermore, they provided the Lieutenant with the numbers to their communicators and he in turn provided them with the walkie-talkie frequency of the police force. Upon leaving the station, the two decided to spend some time discussing everything that happened in private.

Chat Noir looked out onto the street.

"What's wrong Chat?"

"Why whatever do you meow-ing?"

Ladybug cringed, _that was a horrible pun._ "Come on Chat, I've known you long enough to tell when something is bothering you."

 _Sigh._ "It's just that, three to four hours of patrol each and every night. It seems like a lot of work, especially now."

Ladybug considered his input. "You're right, perhaps it would be better if we alternated days. I could take Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, while you take Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. On Saturday we can both patrol together. This way we can protect Paris, but not overwork ourselves in the process."

"I think I can get down with that. But I'll be taking the next three days." Ladybug opened her mouth to complain, but Chat Noir stopped her. "You're injured and in no condition to be patrolling the streets of Paris or taking on criminals."

"I'll be fine Chat, our suits have magical healing abilities."

"That doesn't mean that wounds just disappear overnight. It will take a few days before you're back at 100%, I'd just feel more comfortable if you waited until you were completely healed."

Ladybug wanted to protest, to say that she didn't need the extra time to heal, but she knew she'd be lying. Even now she could feel her leg throbbing, causing her to favor her right leg. It was killing her knowing Chat Noir signed himself up for extra work just to cover for her; they were a team after all, the work should be split evenly between them. Reason told her to listen to him though.

"Fine." Ladybug replied reluctantly. Chat smiled triumphantly.

"Now I just have to work this into my study schedule." He said nonchalantly.

Ladybug froze. _Study…_

"Oh my gosh, I totally forgot! I need to be spending the next two weeks studying for my finals!"

Chat Noir giggled. "Yeah, college finals must be purr-etty difficult."

"College finals? I'm still in the tenth grade."

Chat Noir stared at Ladybug dumbstruck. "B-b-but I thought you told Alya, the Ladybug blogger, that you were older than a high schooler?"

"Silly kitty, I only said that to throw her off track, plus I didn't want Paris to know that they were being protected by a high schooler. On that note, how old are you?"

"I'm 16 and in the tenth grade same as you."

"I figured you were my age." Ladybug contemplated for a moment. "Exactly how old did you think I was?"

"Well I was hoping you were only 18 or 19, you just seemed so much older. N-n-not that you look older or anything, I'm just saying that you seem really mature and you said those things to Alya…"

Ladybug let out a small laugh. "Only 18 or 19? What were you planning on doing if I turned out to be 25 or something?"

Chat Noir shrugged. "Wait two years until I was 18, then make you mine. Luckily though, we don't have to wait." Chat Noir approached Ladybug, placing his hand on her waist.

"That reminds me, I believe we were in the middle of something before this all began. What do you say we get back to that?"

Ladybug turned a deep scarlet red. "R-r-right, I-I-I guess we could…"

Ladybug paused as she heard an alarm going off on her yo-yo. She pulled out her yo-yo and flipped it open. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe how late it is?" The clock showed 3:50 a.m. Chat Noir winced when he took at his baton and saw the time as well.

"I need to go, my parents will be up soon and I don't want them to discover I'm gone." Ladybug closed her yo-yo. "Don't worry Chaton, there'll be plenty of time to continue this later." Ladybug planted a kiss on Chat Noir's cheek before swinging off into the night.

"Are you kidding me?" Chat asked for the 4th time that night.


	9. Chapter 9: School Days

Chapter 9: School Days

"YAWN!"

"Dude what's up with you?"

"Nothing Nino, just a long time." It was 4:10 a.m. by the time Adrien got back from his meeting with Ladybug. He fell asleep almost immediately after laying down on the bed only to be awoken 2 hours later by his alarm clock. Exhausted Adrien got up, showered, dressed, and headed to school.

"Well it looks like you weren't the only one who had a long night." Nino gestured to Marinette, who entered the classroom with a yawn as well. Despite applying cover up on her eyes, Adrien could still see the bags beneath them. As she continued to her seat, Adrien noticed a slight limp in the way she walked. _I wonder if she hurt her leg._ Adrien thought, but was too tired to bother asking the specifics. He assumed she hurt herself tripping over her own feet, after all Marinette's clumsiness was legendary. Marinette greeted both Adrien and Nino before sitting down in her seat.

"Girl, what happened to you?" Alya asked as Marinette sat down beside her.

"Nothing, just a long night of studying."

"Not what I was referring to." Alya gestured towards Marinette's leg.

"Oh this, I hurt myself going down the steps this morning; nothing too serious."

"How is it possible that you can be so clumsy when it comes to everyday tasks, yet so precise when it comes to crafting? The details that you put on that shirt you made for me was exact and phenomenal. You'd think stitching designs and sewing clothes would be a lot harder to do then going down a flight of stairs."

"What can I say," Marinette shrugged. "It's just the way I am."

"ADRIKINS!" Chloe burst through the classroom doors and pulled Adrien into a tight embrace.

"Good morning Chloe," Adrien replied giving Chloe a small, reluctant squeeze in return. "What's got you in such a cheerful mood?"

Chloe looked up at Adrien with a grin on her face. "Why wouldn't I be happy when I managed to secure your freedom for the entire day next Saturday!"

"WHAT!" Adrien, Nino, Alya, and Marinette all exclaimed at once.

"Hmph! Stop listening into my conversations with Adrien. Didn't you ever learn that it's rude to ease drop."

"It's not exactly ease dropping when you're having a conversation right in front of us and within ear shot." Alya snapped.

"If Chloe says its ease dropping then it's ease dropping and you need to stop." Sabrina demanded with her arms folded across her chest.

"I could care less what Chloe says," Alya replied waving off Sabrina's remarks.

"You should care more about what Chloe says. She's the mayor's daughter after all, what she says holds a lot more weight than anything you say."

"What does being the Mayor's daughter have to do with anything?" Nino growled. "The mayoral position is her dad's accomplishment, not hers."

"It has to do with pedigree and class, not that you'd know anything about that Nino." Chloe stated.

"Chloe," Adrien exclaimed as he gently pulled out of her embrace. "That's not a very nice thing to say."

"Oh Adrien, you're way too naive for your own good. It's due to Nino's bad influence that this date was planned in the first place."

"How do you know about that?" Adrien inquired.

"My father received a call from Nathalie. Apparently your dad is concerned about the negative influence Nino had on your performance for the past few weeks and wanted to ensure that you started spending time with a suitable friend. Nathalie completely cleared your schedule and arranged the entire outing. So now we get to celebrate completing our finals together all day long!"

"Bad influence, what's she talking about?" Nino turned towards Adrien with a confused look of his face.

"Um," Adrien nervously placed his arm behind his neck. "About that…"

"Okay class please take your seats and turn to page 150 in your textbooks." Ms. Bustier entered the classroom as the final bell rang. Chloe turned around with a *humph* and proceeded to her seat with Sabrina close behind her.

"I'll tell you at lunch." Adrien whispered to Nino while taking his seat.

* * *

"I cannot believe her!" Alya growled as the lunch bell rang. "And him to for that matter. Something must be seriously wrong with his head if he thinks Chloe is a good influence on Adrien."

"It is odd that a guy with such an eye for fashion would be so blind when it comes to the people Adrien associated with." Marinette reasoned. "Maybe Chloe is a different person around him then us."

"I guess."

Marinette and Alya continued conversing as they packed their bags and headed out to the park to enjoy lunch with Nino and Adrien. After buying their respective lunch choices from the food vendor, they sat down in the grass. Adrien then told them about the fight with his dad and how he blamed Adrien's poor performance on Nino's bad influence.

"Dude, that guy is seriously the worst!"

"I know," Adrien groaned.

"So now you have to spend the entire day with the Wicked Witch of the West, I feel for you Adrien." Alya gave Adrien an apologetic look.

"It's not so bad," Adrien reasoned. "Chloe may not be perfect, but she's still my friend."

"Oh please, you know you enjoy our company more than hers." Alya boasted.

"Man, I still don't get how you manage to get along with her." Nino stated. "I can't stand being around her for more than 5 seconds without wanting to puke."

Adrien shrugged. "She does have a kind side, you just haven't seen it before. She tends to keep it hidden at school."

"I'll believe that when pigs fly," Alya huffed and rolled her eyes.

"But man grounded until the end of the school year, that's harsh. I guess this means no group study this Saturday." Nino glanced down at the grass, his disappointment clear from his tone.

Adrien placed a comforting hand on Nino's shoulder. "Sorry Nino, I doubt that my dad will along me to hang out with anyone even if it's to study."

"That bites. Marinette and I were so looking forward to you helping us out with our math, right Marinette?" Alya gave Marinette a small elbow shove.

Marinette shrugged, "I'm sure we'll be fine. I'm great at math and you have the best writing skills Alya." Alya just stared as Marinette turned towards Adrien. "You don't have to worry about us Adrien, we'll be fine."

Adrien gave Marinette an apologetic smile before standing up. "We should start heading back to class before we're late."

Adrien and Marinette proceeded towards the school building.

"You guys coming?" Marinette inquired when Nino and Alya failed to follow.

"We'll be there in a second, you two head back first." Nino replied.

"What's with Mari?" Nino whispered in Alya's ear after Marinette was out of earshot. "She's been pretty quiet about Adrien's assigned plans with Chloe and the cancelation of our study date. You'd think she'd be more upset."

"Especially since just a few days ago she was on a one woman mission to cheer Adrien up." Alya thought back to Marinette's behavior the past several weeks. Up all night crying, then obsessing over cheering Adrien up, taking down all his posters in his room, and now completely nonchalant about not only not being able to spent time with Adrien, but also him being forced to spend time alone with Chloe. "Something is seriously going on with her and I'm going to get to the bottom of it."

"Babe, didn't you decide not to pry?"

Frowning, Alya crossed her arms. "I know, but this is seriously bothering me and her as well. Whatever's going on with Marinette isn't just blowing over like with Adrien. I need to go on the offensive."

Nino stood up and held out his hand to help Alya up. "Well if there's anyone who can discover the truth, it's my ace reporter girlfriend."

A grin spread around Alya's face and her cheeks turned slightly red. Nino always seemed to know exactly what to say to put her mind at ease. Turning towards the school, the two love birds walked back hand in hand.

* * *

"Madame Bustier said the final would cover chapter 3-5 extensively. Considering how I did on the tests, I should focus on…yeah." Marinette mumbled to herself.

"You're making some really good progress Marinette."

"Thanks Tikki." Marinette glanced at the clock for the sixteenth time that night. _8:43, just a few more minutes._

"Worried about Chat."

"Is it that obvious?"

Tikki flew down and placed her arm on Marinette's hand. "You don't have to worry, Chat will be okay I promise."

"How can you be so sure? They have guns Tikki and they're not afraid to use them. Our suits aren't bullet proof and if there's one thing I've learned from yesterday it's that our superpowers can protect us completely."

"You're powers may not protect you completely, but they are pretty effective against gun fire. It was just unlikely and unlucky that you were hit by a ricochet. The probability of it happening again are slim to none."

"With Chat Noir's recklessness though, I can't help but worry about his safety."

"Chat Noir maybe reckless, but I'm sure he'll be on his guard for the next few weeks while you're out of commission. He's not an idiot, he must realize his own vulnerability after seeing you get hurt. Besides, there's no guarantee that he will even run into the criminals over the next few days."

Marinette paused for a moment. What Tikki said did make sense logically, but it did little to sway her worry. She couldn't help but worry about Chat Noir even if worrying did nothing to change the situation. _9:02, at least now I can contact Chat and maybe put my mind at ease. Chat Noir always did have a way of reassuring me when I needed it._ Marinette thought back to the return of Stoneheart and how Chat Noir helped her when her confidence was waning.

"I just hope that nothing happens until I return and we can bring down the criminal syndicate together as a team. Tikki transforme moi!"


	10. Chapter 10: Return of the Akuma

Chapter 10: Return of the Akuma

"No more…evil doing…for you little…akuma..." Ladybug panted heavily. She swung her yo-yo feebly, just barely managing to capture the akuma before it got away.

"Bye." She panted as the purified akuma flew away.

"Miraculous Ladybug." She stated barely louder than a whisper, while tossing the lucky charm into the air. This time around it had been a balloon filled with paint.

"Bien Joué." Chat Noir and Ladybug said together before Chat Noir collapsed on the ground.

"That…was…by far…the WORSE…akuma yet." Chat Noir took a moment to catch his breath before continuing. "Hawkmoth definitely utilized his vacation time mapping out just how to drive us insane with these akuma. I mean three akumas in one day _three!_ And as if that wasn't enough the last one just had to be Speed Demon!"

As Ladybug regained her composure she noticed her earrings beeping.

"We'll have to continue this conversation later." She glanced around taking in their surroundings.

The two of them were on the outskirts of Paris in Bois de Boulogne. With the assistance of the police force, they managed to get the park evacuated before luring the akumatized victim in and causing him to crash into a building. The entire process took several hours though, with Chat Noir and Ladybug chasing the akuma all throughout Paris. No matter how many yo-yo stringed barriers or cataclysm holes in the street they placed, the akuma always found a way out of their traps. One second they'd believe they caught him and the next his car would morph into a form capable of escape. A motorcycle for tight squeezes, spiked tires for driving up buildings, a Jeep for uneven terrain, tinted glass windows to prevent a glare, steel tires to prevent road spikes from popping them, the list goes on. Eventually Ladybug devised a plan to lure the akuma into one last trap and set it into motion. Chat Noir distracted and annoyed the akuma to the point where he stopped paying attention to his surrounding, giving Ladybug the opportunity to throw the paint filled balloon on his windshield and send him flying straight into a building.

"Do you have any more food left for your kwami?" Chat Noir shook his head in response. Between the first two akuma attacks and all the times he used cataclysm on the streets to try to stop Speed Demon, he'd drained his supply of camembert. "Neither do I. Looks like we'll have to head back in our civilian forms. I'll head this way and you head that way; we'll meet tonight at the Eiffel Tower, 9:00."

Chat Noir watched Ladybug swing away with a tired look on his face _._ Chat Noir ducked behind a tree before letting his transformation fall. Plagg fell exhausted into his hands.

"Man that Hawkmoth is quite the slave driver. I haven't had a moment's rest all day. I expect a whole wheel of camembert for this."

"Deal." Adrien replied placing Plagg in his shirt's pocket and proceeding home. "It's been a long day and you deserve a treat."

After reaching the street, Adrien hailed a taxi. Relaxing in the back seat, Adrien recalled the events of the past several days.

* * *

Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday were pretty uneventful for Chat Noir. The cops were still gathering information and crafting a plan for how they were going to take down the whole gang in one go, so there was no movement there. Furthermore, after Chat Noir and Ladybug captured several members of the gang, the rest of the members were lying low. Thus, Chat Noir spent most of his patrol time just admiring the city of Paris at night.

He found himself enjoying his time despite the fact that he was a lone. He wished he could share those moments with Ladybug, stroll down the street hand-n-hand, take in all the sights, cuddle on a rooftop, and maybe even play a game of chat and mouse. _Just a couple more days._ He thought whenever his longing for Ladybug grew unmanageable. _If you could make it through 6 weeks without even knowing if you'd see her again then surely you can wait a few days knowing exactly when you'll see her again. Besides, she calls you every night._ Chat Noir reminded himself. Sure enough every night without fail, Ladybug called him to talk. Their conversations were brief under Chat's insistence that she get some rest, but he still welcomed them.

In addition to admiring Paris at night, Chat decided to spend some of his patrol time planning out his first date with Ladybug. Since the last date ended in a complete disaster, he was determined to make sure that the next one went off without a hitch. By the time Friday rolled around, he had already devised the perfect date to take Ladybug on. _Perhaps we can go tomorrow after patrol._ Chat smiled at the thought. Filled with anticipation, he had a difficult time going to sleep that night, but found him didn't mind the insomnia. The more time he spent awake, the more time he had to go over his plans in his head and think about Ladybug. _I'll just catch up on my sleep tomorrow._ Thought Adrien as he lay awake in bed. Eventually the exhaustion overtook him and he drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

It wasn't until midday Saturday that Chat began to dread the lack of sleep he had the night before.

Immediately after waking up, dressing, and eating breakfast Adrien saw a news alert on the television broadcasting an Akuma attack. Ladybug was already on the scene, attempting to protect innocent bystanders by distracting the akuma.

"Time for some bug and feline action." Adrien stated.

"Awe man, way to ruin my cat nap," Plagg groaned.

"Plagg, transforme moi!" Fully transformed, Chat Noir jumped out his bedroom window, hopped across the rooftops, and proceeded to the battle grounds.

Once one the scene, Chat Noir spotted Ladybug hiding behind a building to escape the akuma's relentless attacks. Chat Noir quickly made his way over to her.

"Why hello there Buginette, need a paw?"

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug exclaimed with excitement as Chat Noir landed beside her. She did not realize how overjoyed she'd be to see Chat again or how eager she was for the two to be fighting side by side again. The two shared a brief embrace before returning to the task at hand.

"It's good to see you on your feet again my lady, but say the word and I'll swiftly sweep you off them." Chat Noir shot Ladybug a Cheshire grin with she responded to with an eye roll.

"You're incorrigible."

Chat Noir shrugged. "What can I say. So, who dares to interrupt my reunion with my lady?" Chat Noir inquire while turning his attention towards the akuma.

The akuma appeared to be a middle aged man dressed in an all-black unitard with long black sleeves and a white dot on his chest. A slitless black mask adorned his face while a black cane with a red stripe on the based rested in his hand. Chat Noir stared at the akuma in confusion. _How can he see if his eyes are completely covered?_

"The Akuma's name is Blindspot and he shoots a blinding ray of light from his cane. Apparently he's a blind man who got lost after his taxi took him to the wrong spot. He tried to get help, but everyone was too busy to bother to help him. His frustration and anger attracted Hawkmoth, so now he's getting revenge on everyone by making them feel what it's like to be blind." Ladybug gestured to the victims of Blindspot. While Ladybug distracted the akuma, the police ushered all civilians to safety, many of whom were gathered together in a nearby building. Chat Noir noticed through the window how many of the victims wondered around with their hands out in front of them or scooched along the walls.

"Who ever said hindsight was 20/20 clearly never met any of Blindspot's victims." Ladybug nodded in response. "So what's the plan?"

"Well now that this area is clear of anymore potential victims we can go on the attack."

"Right, I'm on it." Chat Noir made an attempt to leap into action only to be stopped by Ladybug.

"Woah there kitty." She said as she pulled his tail. "I know you're excited to be battling together again, but we can't just rush in blindly." Chat Noir snickered at the unintended pun. "First things first, we need to figure out how he's locating his targets when he's supposed to be complete blind."

"Maybe the power of Hawkmoth's miraculous gave him his sight back?" Chat Noir suggested.

"That's what I thought at first, but something is off about his movements." Ladybug recalled her fight with the akuma, analyzing his attack patterns. Focused on distraction, she didn't have the time to think previously. She thought about all the times when he seemed not to notice her, even when she was standing in plain view. Furthermore, she thought about all the victims who were hit with his blinding ray and what they seemed to have in common. "Of course, why didn't I realize sooner." Ladybug face palmed herself for being so oblivious.

"What?" Chat Noir looked confused.

"He's using sound to locate his targets. Everyone who has been hit by his attack screamed before he took aim and those short moments when he didn't seem to notice me, I was standing completely still with my yo-yo stationary. This gives me an idea; Lucky Charm!" A remote control feel into her hands.

"Unless that's the remote from 'Click' I don't think it will be much help here."

"Not true," Ladybug replied with a knowing smile on her face. "This is exactly what we need. Can you distract him for a while?"

"Whatever my lady wishes I shall grant." Chat Noir leaped into action.

"My own personal genie." Ladybug joked.

* * *

"Where could she have gone?" Blindspot listened intently for any sounds of Ladybug. _A bird, a police siren, could that be her?_ Blindspot shot a ray of light in the directions of a thump he heard.

"That was a close call."

"Chat Noir, I thought I smelled mangy cat."

"Nice to see you too." Chat Noir rested his hands on his extended baton in front of him. "Why don't you give your blind attacks a rest and surrender peacefully."

"Why? Too much of a scaredy cat to take me on." Blindspot menacing raised him cane and began shooting.

Chat Noir dodged the oncoming attack and proceeded to deflect the next volley with his baton. The battle continued with Chat Noir either dodging or deflecting the akuma's attacks. In many instances Chat Noir was forced to flee several yards away from the akuma. Blindspot's confidence grew with each instance of flight on Chat's part.

"Don't become over confident." Hawkmoth warned Blindspot

"Relax," Blindspot replied. "I have him on the run. This useless feline doesn't have what it takes to defeat me. Soon he too will know what it's like to be helpless and ignored."

"You're forgetting about Ladybug."

"*Hmph* what's to worry about, I probably scared her off long ago."

"Ladybug is not so easily frightened, she must be up to something if she's not here. Be vigilant and pay atten…" Hawkmoth was cut off by Chat Noir's yelp. Taken off balance by one of Blindspot's attacks, Chat Noir fell flat on the ground and lay there defenselessly.

"Light's out Chat Noir!" Blindspot grinned triumphantly.

"Not so fast Blindspot."

"Ladybug!"

"In the flesh. Now, time to turn up the volume." Ladybug pressed the volume button on the remote control to the stereos surrounding the area, turning up the volume to max.

"Argh!" Blindspot cupped his ears in pain as loud pop music blasted from all around him. Not paying attention to his surroundings, Blindspot followed Chat into an outdoor arena setup for a concert taking place that evening. What he assumed was Chat Noir fleeing turned out to be Chat Noir leading him. What he assumed was Chat Noir losing his balance turned out to be a ploy to occupy him. What he assumed was Ladybug's cowardness turned out to be her brilliant plan to take him down.

Ladybug took the cane from the cowering akumatized victim and snapped it in two over her knee.

"No more evil doing for you little akuma. Time to de-evilize!" Ladybug swung her yo-yo capturing the akuma with ease.

"Bye bye little butterfly. Miraculous Ladybug!"

"Bien Joué!" Ladybug and Chat cried as they pounded their fists together.

"What, what happened? Where am I?" The former akuma cried.

"Chat Noir can you handle this, my transformation is about to fall."

"But of course." Chat Noir placed Ladybug's hand in his own. "I'll see you tonight for patrol."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." Ladybug placed a small peck on his check before swinging off.

"Don't worry sir, I can help you." Chat Noir walked over to the man and helped him up.

"Oh thank you kindly young man." The gentleman graciously accepted Chat Noir's assistance.

* * *

The moment Marinette got home she immediately went to her room and laid down on her chaise. Her leg was throbbing slightly from the day's events and she wanted to give it a rest before having to meet up with her friends.

"I guess this means Hawkmoth's back in action." Marinette said out loud. "I wonder what he's been up to all this time."

"I couldn't tell you," Tikki replied as she flew out of Marinette's purse. With one last bite she finished the cookie she'd been devouring.

Marinette thought for a moment. "Could it have anything to do with his miraculous?"

"Perhaps. The butterfly brooch is not invincible and has limitations just like your earrings and Chat Noir's ring. As you are already aware, his dark butterflies are attracted to and feed of off negative emotions. Maybe everyone in Paris has just been completely happy for the past several weeks, so he has been unable to akumatize anyone."

"Or maybe he went on vacation or was detained somewhere." Marinette looked at her phone, before proceeding to her desk. "Well whatever the reason, he's back now." She opened her book bag and began placing several textbooks and notebooks into it. "I should hurry off to Alya's before I'm late for the study date." Marinette swung her book bag over her shoulder, while Tikki flew into her purse.

On her way out the store, Marinette placed several cookies in her bag. _Always good to have a few cookies handy just in case. Never know when I might need them._ As Marinette exited the store she heard screams coming from the park next to her house.

"Naughty children, I'll teach you to behave!" An unknown voice shouted. Marinette ran into the alley behind her house.

"Great I'm going to be late again!"

"I'm sure Alya and Nino will understand." Tikki replied

"Understand that I am late _again_ , that I failed to show up _again._ "

"At least you'll have a believable excuse this time with the akuma being right next to your house. Being a superhero isn't always easy, it requires a great deal of sacrifice."

"Don't I know it." Marinette muttered, clear annoyance in her voice. "Well the sooner I deal with this the sooner I can get back to my study plans. Tikki transforme moi!"

Seconds later, Ladybug arrived at the park ready to face her next foe.

"And who might you be?" Ladybug asked the akuma. The akuma appeared to be a woman in her 40's with long, black hair tied into a bun behind her head. She wore an old fashioned, navy blue, floor length dress with long sleeves, a high collar, and shoulder pads. The dress hugged her figure from her neck all the way down to her waist where it puffed out. A top her head she wore a medium sun hat with a few flowers pinned to the side. White gloves covered her hands with a purplish ring on her left index finger. _Talk about old fashioned._ Ladybug thought when she finished examining her outfit.

"I am Ultime Nanny, here to make sure all these naughty kids behave. Stay out of my way or I'll place you on time out for being bad."

Marinette looked around the park and noticed several children sitting on the ground. At first glance they appeared to just be sitting there, but upon closer inspection they were stuck in place by some sort of invisible force. Several parents continuously attempted to move their children to no avail. _Well at least I know what her powers are._

"No can do akuma, it's my job to stop you and free all these innocent children."

"Innocent, you think there innocent? Don't make me laugh!" Ultime Nanny began shooting beams of light out of her ring towards Ladybug. Ladybug swiftly dodge the first volley before retaliating with her yo-yo.

"Never sitting still when they are told, never listening to anything I say, always running around bothering people and touching whatever they can get their hands on. These brats make my job as a babysitter a living hell. It's time I taught them a lesson."

"I know what it's like to babysit a difficult child it can be a challenge sometimes when they won't listen, but you have to remember that they are just little kids." Ladybug thought back to all the times she had to babysit Manon. _Boy_ could she relate to the akuma's plight. "They aren't always going to behave or do what they are told and that's just how it is." Ladybug jumped over the fence and into the street in front of her school. She wanted to put as much distance between the akuma and anymore potential victims as she could. "You zapping them into a permanent time out is not going to change anything."

"Yes it will! With these powers I received from Hawkmoth I will turn every bad child in Paris into a little angel." Civilians quickly began to evacuate the street as they saw Ultime Nanny approaching. "All it takes is a bit of discipline and your miraculous of course. Can't have Hawkmoth taking away my powers before I accomplish my goal now can I?" Ultime Nanny gave a vicious smile before proceeding to attack Ladybug.

"And what about the parents whose children you've struck?" Ladybug ducked behind an abandoned car.

"They'll thank me for this later, once I've turn their monstrous brat into a little angel." Ultime Nanny knocked over the car with inhuman strength only to be caught off guard by Ladybug's yo-yo. After wrapping her weapon around the akuma's body, Ladybug made a dash for her ring but was thrown back by a kick to the gut.

"Ugh!" Ladybug said as she landed several feet away.

"Fancy meeting you here." Chat said as he held his hand out for Ladybug.

"Thanks Chat." Ladybug replied as she took his outstretched hand. "Duck!" She screamed as beams of light shot their way. "We need to find some cover, follow me." Ladybug and Chat Noir ran into their college and hid inside a classroom.

"Come out come out where ever you are." Ultime Nanny cried when she entered the school building. "I promise this won't hurt a bit."

"So a babysitter on a vendetta, forcing babies to sit." Chat whispered after hearing about the akuma from Ladybug. "I've heard of bad behaving kids driving adults mad, but this is on a whole never level."

"The akuma is clearly in her ring, I just need to get close enough to take it off. Lucky Charm!" A baby monitor set fell into Ladybug's hands.

"Baby monitors? What are you supposed to do with those?"

"Hmmmm." Ladybug thought for a moment. "I've got it! We just need to play a little game of hide-and-seek with our nanny."

"I'm not sure how that's going to help, but ok." Chat Noir placed a small peck on Ladybug's lips. "No matter how crazy, your plans always save the day."

Ladybug blushed slightly before pulling away and heading to the classroom door. "Let's finish this!"

* * *

 _Bam_

"Where could those brats be hiding?" Ultime Nanny screamed in frustration as she slammed the third classroom door shut. "Oh they are going to pay once I find…"

"Looking for us." Ultime Nanny looked across the field to see both Ladybug and Chat Noir standing on the second floor balcony.

"Ladybug and Chat Noir have you decided to be good little children and hand me your miraculous?"

"Not a chance," Chat Noir gave the akuma a mocking grin. "If you want our miraculous you'll have to find us first." Ladybug and Chat Noir split up in opposite directions, before heading into two different rooms.

"Hide-and-seek. I HATE Hide-and-Seek!" The akuma angrily pursued the heroes.

Entering the room where Ladybug went, Ultime Nanny was surprised to find the room completely empty. Hissing with pure rage, the akuma began to tear the room apart.

"Calm down." Hawkmoth commanded. "You're allowing your frustration and anger to cloud your judgement. If you want to catch them you'll need to think straight." Ultime Nanny took and deep breath and began to regain her composure. "Good, now look around the room and see where she could have gone." Ultime Nanny glanced around before noticing the open air duct vent. She smiled triumphantly before proceeding into the air duct herself. The ventilation shaft provided very little light making it impossible to see more than a few inches in front. _Foolish children, did they really think that hiding in a dark area would keep me from finding them? Even if I can't see them, I can just use my ears to locate them._ After crawling for a short period of time, she hear two voiced faintly in the distance.

"Do you think she'll be able to find us?"

"No way, she's way too hot headed to think straight. We've got this in the bag, just remember to keep your voice low."

Ultime Nanny recognized the voices as Ladybug and Chat Noir's. _I've got you now._ She thought as she slowly approached them.

"Gotcha you retched little beasts!" She cried blasting two beams of light into the dark space in front of her.

"Argh, I'm stuck!"

"I can't move!"

"That's what you get for misbehaving. Now for you miraculous." Ultime Nanny approach the heroes only to find the space completely empty. "Wait…what?" The akuma questioned as she felt around. Her hand grasped something small and she pulled it closer to her face for a better look. "Is this a baby monitor?"

"Cataclysm!" The entire ventilation shaft began to disintegrate around the akuma.

"Ahhh!" Ultime Nanny crashed to the ground in disarray and confusion.

"Gotcha!" Ladybug pulled the ring from the disoriented akuma's finger and smashed it on the ground.

"No more evil doing for you little akuma. Time to de-evilize . Bye bye little butterfly."

"Miraculous Ladybug!" Ladybug cried as she threw the baby monitor in the air, activating her repairing abilities.

"Bien Joué!"

After speaking with the now free nanny, Ladybug checked the time on her yo-yo. "Oh no, now I'm super late! See you soon kitty." She cried before swinging off to an alley to detransform.

"Not soon enough," Chat Noir whispered to himself before finding a spot to detransform.

* * *

Marinette sprinted all the way to Alya's.

"Sorry…I'm…late." Marinette panted when Nino opened the door.

"Relax Mari and take a deep breath. We saw the akuma attack on the news." Nino began as Marinette slowly regained her composure. "Figured you'd get caught up in the attack when you didn't show."

"Where's Alya?" Marinette inquired as they entered her apartment.

"She went to drop off her siblings at a birthday party their friend is having." Nino replied with a small smile. "She seemed so happy to finally get rid of them. She's been stuck babysitting all day, so she was unable to capture both of the akuma battles."

Marinette let out a small laugh as well. "That must have driven her mad considering that there's been no attacks for almost 2 months now."

"You know it. When I arrived for the study session she was having the biggest fit ever, watching Ladybug and Chat Noir dash into the school with the akuma hot on their trail. She was absolutely dying to rush in there and record what was going on."

Marinette began to laugh hysterically. "That's not hard to imagine. Why didn't she have you watch her sibling while she went out?"

"Oh she tried, believe me. But by the time she got halfway down the block, you could already see the miraculous cure spreading throughout the city. She came sulking back and then went to take her siblings to the birthday party. Come to think of it…" Nino looked at the clock on the wall. "She should've been back by now…"

"Emergency Alert, a new akuma has appeared on the North side of Paris." Both Nino and Marinette turned to look at the television. "The akuma calls himself Speed Demon and is currently tearing through the streets of Paris at breakneck speeds. Chat Noir is already on the scene, but seems incapable of keeping up with this villain."

"What a minute, is that Alya?" Nino pointed to a person siding on the sideway, cellphone in hand as the akuma sped past.

"For crying out loud!" Marinette grasped her leg. Between the two back to back akuma fights and the sprint to Alya's place, Marinette's leg was seriously starting to bother her. _This is the last thing that I need right now._

"This just in," the reporter continued. "Eye witnesses state the identity of Speed Demon is a man by the name of Vite Voiture, a famous drag racer. The cause of his sudden akumatization remains a mystery."

"Hey Nino," Nino glanced up from the television. "I just realized that I left my history notes at home, I'm going to run home real quick and grab them. Bye!"

"No worries Mari," Nino reached into his backpack. "You can just borrow…mine?" Nino looked around the apartment, but Marinette had already left. "What is it with girls?" He thought as he sat back down on the couch.

* * *

 **Author's Note: so I'm back after taking a long break (what can I say, life happens). I'll try to keep updating the story on a more regular basis from now (but I make no promises). Thank you all for hanging in there and not thinking that this was a dropped FanFiction (though I wouldn't blame you if you did). Next chapter promises to include a bit of long awaited romance between our two heroes, hope you're excited (I know I am)!**


	11. Chapter 11: Night out on the Town

Chapter 11: Night out on the Town

She leaned against the railing, looking up at the night sky. A gentle caress of her thigh, which a few hours earlier ached like hell, reminded her of the time spent icing her leg. Grimacing at the memory she slowly moved her hand from her thigh to her yo-yo. _9:25, he's late._ Ladybug sighed and resumed gazing at the night sky. Due to Alya wanting to capture every minute of the akuma attack that she could, she called off the study date soon after Marinette left. Marinette felt relieved that she would not have to come up with another excuse as to why she completely bailed on their get together. _Sometimes it helps having a friend who is obsessed with super heroes and villains._

"If he's not here by 9:30 I'll just have to patrol by myself." Ladybug said to herself out loud. A flicker of movement directed her eyes northward where she saw the familiar sight of Chat Noir maneuvering across the plaza with his baton.

"You're late." Ladybug stated sternly when Chat landed. Her crossed arms and tapping foot told Chat she was not pleased.

"Please forgive me my lady, I was up most of the night unable to sleep and then the akuma attacked so early in the morning, followed by the two consecutive attacks. By the time I got home I just passed out on my bed, but I forgot to set the alarm clock ahead of time and… why are you laughing?" Unable to contain herself any longer, Ladybug burst into a fit of hysteria. Clutching her sides she slowly regained her composure.

"Relax Chat," she said in between giggles, "I'm just teasing you."

Relief spread across Chat's face only to be replaced by a look of annoyance a few seconds later. "So you think that funny huh?"

"I think my reaction speaks for itself."

"You're going to pay for that one," his lips curved into a mischievous smile.

"Oh really," Ladybug crotched down ever so slightly, yo-yo in hand. "If its revenge you want, you'll have to catch me first." And with that Ladybug took off swinging into the night sky.

"I'm puuuurfectly ok with that." Chat Noir began pursuit.

She raced across the rooftops, her earlier injury and pain forgotten in her excitement. Chat Noir pursued, a playful glee present in his eyes.

"Here kitty kitty," she cooed while Chat chased her. The chase was exhilarating, with Ladybug routinely stopping or slowly down allowing Chat to get close, but jumping or twisting away at the last second, causing him to barely miss her. Thrice Chat Noir leaped right passed her giving her the opportunity to playfully yank his tail before swinging away.

"You'll have to do better than that if you want to catch me, mon minou," Ladybug teased after Chat Noir missed her for the twelfth time.

"I'll show you better," Chat replied as he circled back around towards Ladybug. Ladybug leaped across an alley way and began running away when she heard Chat Noir yelp behind her. Turning around, she noticed him sitting on the rooftop holding his head.

"Chat Noir are you okay? Did you hurt yourself?" Ladybug inquired as she approached him.

"Gotcha!" Chat cried while pulling Ladybug close to him.

"Ah, you cheated." Ladybug whined when she realized what Chat had done.

"Last I checked, the game of chat and mouse had no rules to speak of other than the chat finding a way to capture his prey. Besides, you don't seem to be trying to get away." Chat Noir began caressing her cheek with his claw.

Ladybug blushed slightly. "Well getting caught was the plan all along," she stated as she wrapped her arms around Chat's neck. Positioning herself comfortable between Chat's legs, she slowly pressed her lips against his. As the two melted into each other, Ladybug slowly pushed Chat Noir backwards onto the roof. Eager to feel her warmth, Chat Noir wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close.

A few moments later, Ladybug broke away and nuzzled herself into Chat Noir's collar bone. Chat Noir gave Ladybug a small peck on her head before rubbing her back with his hand. They continued cuddling together, both feeling incredibly serene, until the adrenaline wore off.

"Ouch!" Ladybug cried.

"Ah, I-I-I'm sorry! Did I accidently scratch you?" Chat Noir asked looking flustered.

"No," Ladybug replied as she sat up, Chat Noir following suit. "It's just my leg again. All this running around put a lot of stress on it." Ladybug gave a short laugh. "I guess luring you into a game of chase wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do."

"I-I-I'm sorry, I should have known better than to chase after you. I knew you had injured your leg and about the continuous akuma attacks all day, but I still…how could I be so stupid!"

Ladybug placed a comforting hand on Chat's shoulder. "There's no need to berate yourself, it's just a bit of pain. Besides, if it wasn't for your help, then I wouldn't have been able to take the time to properly heal these past few days. Thank you."

Chat Noir turned bright red at the sight of Ladybug's beautifully sparkling smile. "You have the most amazing smile you know."

"Thanks," Ladybug replied as she turned slightly pink. Adopting a more serious look, Ladybug rose to her feet. "I guess we should start actually patrolling now, we were already 30 minutes late as it was." Chat Noir shifted to his feet as well. "The flics haven't contacted us and there has been no movement from the crime syndicated, but we shouldn't let our guard down. You never know when the criminal organization will strike again." Ladybug peered off the side of the rooftop. "Let's go."

"Wait!" Chat Noir reached out and grabbed Ladybug's hand before she could take off. "Are you sure you should continue running around on that leg?"

"Don't worry, my wound has healed completely and I can handle a little pain." Ladybug placed her free hand over his. "I'll be fine."

Chat Noir nodded in understanding, before taking off with Ladybug into Paris' Night sky.

* * *

"Looks like patrol tonight wasn't a total waste of time. Two drug deals, a purse snatcher, and one home invasion. Four criminal acts all averted thanks to us. We may not have gained any new leads with regards to the crime syndicate, but we definitely helped keep Parisians safe tonight." Ladybug walked over to the railing of the Eiffel Tower and gazed out at the city below. The cool breeze felt good against her skin.

"You mean four crimes that you prevented, quite flawlessly I might add." Chat Noir leaned against the side of the Eiffel Tower as he spoke, tail swaying back and forth. "You were truly amazing how you managed to take out the criminals before I even had a chance to react." Chat Noir chuckled, "those criminals didn't have a spot of a chance once you showed up."

Ladybug groaned slightly at the terrible pun. "I wish the flics were as amazed and thankful for our presence." Ladybug sighed in frustration. _Remember Ladybug, although the cops did not accept our help at first when it came to the super powered akumatized victims, eventually they came around. Now they accept and even assist us when it comes to capturing akuma. Surely in time they will come to accept our help with all crime, whether mystical in nature or not; I just have to be patient._

"Don't worry Ladybug, if worst comes to worst I can win them over with my natural charm." Ladybug laughed at Chat Noir's eyebrow roll.

"I'm not worried kitty, I know they'll come to accept our help eventually." Ladybug let out a long yawn.

"So," Chat Noir began, "should we call it a night?" Ladybug glanced at Chat Noir. He looked exhausted, three akuma attacks in one day and several late nights in a row had clearly taken a toll on him. Ladybug herself wasn't exactly feeling very energetic either, being with Chat for all three attacks and handling crimes nonstop for several hours during patrol. _Plus we still need to continue studying for our finals taking place this week._

"I guess," Ladybug said with a heavy sigh. Truthfully, she didn't want to say goodbye just yet. She was enjoying her time with Chat and wished the night could continue forever. Sensing her reluctance, Chat Noir walked over to her and placed a gentle kiss upon her hand.

"We weren't able to today, but next Saturday let's go somewhere special just the two of us." Chat Noir said with a smile. "We can celebrate the end of our exams with our first official date."

Ladybug blushed slightly before replying. "Sure. Where and when should we meet up?"

"Let's meet here at 6:00, before patrol."

"Where will we be going?"

"It's a surprise."

"You and your surprises," Ladybug replied with a humorous tone.

"What can I say, the thought of seeing your sur-purrr-rised yet excited face makes me purr."

"But waiting a whole week, I might just die of anticipation."

Chat Noir thought for a moment. "Well if that happens, then I'll just have to become a necromancer and bring you back from the dead."

"A zombie, ladybug heroine, huh." Ladybug giggled. "That just might be worth dying over to see. See you later cat-agator."

"After a while bug-a-dile," Chat Noir responded. The two shared a short kiss before swinging off into the night.


	12. Chapter 12: Expect the Obvious

Chapter 12: Expect the Obvious: How Did You Not See This Coming?

"And…times up. Put your pencils down and leave your tests on your desks face down. Please make sure you leave the classroom in an orderly fashion."

"Finally," Nino sighed as he walked out of the classroom with Adrien, "I thought these finals would last forever. Dude, how'd you do?"

"Pretty well I think." Adrien stated. "There was one question on the philosophy exam that I wasn't sure about, but I knew the answers to all the other exams. The tests were a lot easier than I thought they'd be."

Nino frowned. "Only you would think any of those tests were even remotely easy."

Slightly embarrassed, Adrien placed his hand behind his neck. "What can I say, I was highly motivated to succeed." Adrien flashed a smile at Nino.

"So dude, does this means your dad's gonna back off and give you some space?"

Adrien sighed. "I don't know Nino. I still have to wait a few days for my grades to come out and if they are not up to his standards, I might have to spend the entire summer locked up at home."

"Dude that's harsh." Nino placed a comforting hand on Adrien's back. "But I'm sure you did well, you usually get the highest grade in class anyways."

"Hey guys!" Nino and Adrien looked up to see Alya and Marinette approaching them from the bottom of the front steps.

"Hey babe," Nino greeted Alya with a short squeeze. "How'd the exams go?"

"Literature and math were a breeze, but I'm worried about how I did in science." Alya replied.

"Same here," Marinette interjected. "It's all thanks to Alya tutoring me in literature and me tutoring her in math that we both did so well on those two exams." The four friends proceeded to the side of the front staircase and sat down.

"So the Saturday group study was a success?" Adrien inquired.

"No man, it got cancelled due to the akuma attacks. Babe," Nino turned toward Alya and placed a hand on each of her shoulders. "I love how passionate and dedicated you are when it comes to super heroes, but sometimes I wish you'd think about your safety a bit more."

"You're such a worry wart," Alya stated. "Sure chasing after akuma maybe a little reckless, but it is not as dangerous as you think. I stay on the fringes of the fight and film from a safe distance. Besides," Alya gently caressed Nino's cheeks with her thumbs, "I have Ladybug and Chat Noir around to keep me safe in case anything ever happens."

 _I wish you wouldn't always count on us to save you all the time. We have akuma to fight and can't always be worrying about your safety._ Adrien thought to himself.

Nino sighed, "I don't even know why I brought it up. There's no way you'd ever stop anyways, you're way too passionate about this."

"Nope," Alya gave Nino a warm smile, "but your concern is appreciated. Although even if I wasn't as passionate about superheroes, I'd probably still keep maintaining the Lady Blog. If I want to be a real journalist one day, independent projects such as the Lady Blog are what's going to get me noticed and land me my dream job."

"That, at least, I can understand." Nino stated while looking at his headphones.

Marinette thought about all the hard work she put into her clothing designs and the various fashion contests she entered. _I guess I can't get too mad at Alya for always running towards danger, considering I'm just as dedicated to pursuing my dreams. And at least she does try to stay out of danger unlike some people I know._ Marinette remembered all too clearly Chloe's interference when she and Chat were fighting Vanisher.

"You may try to stay out of danger, but that doesn't always mean the akuma will let you." Marinette thought back to the fights with Stoneheart. "Despite the danger though, I support your drive to accomplish your dreams." Marinette, Nino, and Alya shared a group hug.

"You guys are pretty amazing. You already know what you want to be and are taking steps towards your future careers." Adrien stated.

"By the way, what do you want to be when you grow up Adrien?" Marinette asked.

"I don't actually know yet, I can't really say I'm passionate about anything."

"What about your modeling?" Marinette asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.

"I'm not exactly that passionate about modeling. I don't hate it, but I don't think I want to make a career out of it. I'm not worried though," Adrien stated, "I still got time to decide what I what to be in the future."

"True that. By the way," Nino began looking around, "where's your ride? Usually your bodyguard and Nathalie are always on time to pick you up." Alya, Marinette, and Adrien all began looking up and down the street for Gabriel's car.

"You're right. Where are they?" Alya pulled out her phone, noticing an akuma alert that she received almost an hour earlier.

"No way!" Alya exclaimed standing up with excitement. "There's an akuma attack taking place right near your house Adrien."

"What!" Nino, Marinette, and Adrien shouted in surprise.

"Yeah, I had my phone on silent for the exams so I missed the alert when it first came out. Looks like the akuma's making it difficult to move around. Although I'm a bit concerned…" Alya paused for a moment.

"What do you mean? Is my dad in danger?" Adrien began to worry about his father's safety. _What if this is another akuma after my dad!_

"I don't think so," Alya scrolled through the news article, reading about the incident. "This akuma doesn't seem to be after him or targeting many civilians. What's got me worried is that it's been almost an hour since the akuma appeared, but there's no sign of Ladybug or Chat Noir anywhere."

"That's weird," Nino peered over Alya's shoulder to get a better look at her phone. "This akuma isn't exactly being low key; the attack been broadcasted all over Paris' new stations since it first appeared. It seems strange to think that Ladybug and Chat Noir haven't received news about its appearance yet."

Alya and Nino continued staring at the phone in contemplation. "Maybe they are unable to come for some reason," Alya thought.

"Or maybe the akuma already incapacitated them," Nino suggested.

"What do you guys think?" Nino and Alya stated in unison, turning towards their friends. However, both Adrien and Marinette were nowhere to be found.

"That's strange, where'd they go?" Nino began to look around.

"Nino look!" Alya pointed to the screen on her phone. "Ladybug and Chat Noir have finally shown up! This is fantastic, I gotta get over there and start filming." Alya began sprinting in the direction of the akuma battle.

"Be careful!" Nino yelled after her. "Alya running off after an akuma, Marinette and Adrien mysteriously disappearing, just another day in Paris I guess." Nino placed his headphones on his head, turned on his favorite tune, and whistled all the way home.

 _Ring, ring, ring_

Adrien swiftly turned off his alarm and eagerly jumped out of bed.

"You know, you are allowed to sleep in sometimes." Plagg let out a huge yawn as he slowly got up.

"I know, but I'm just too excited to stay in bed. My first date with Ladybug, this is going to be epic!" Adrien raced to his bathroom and began showering. Plagg flew over to the mini fridge and began chowing down on his camembert while he waited for Adrien to finish getting ready.

"Kid," Plagg began as Adrien exited the bathroom. "I know your excited and all, but the date doesn't even start until 6:00. And before that you're still grounded."

"I know that Plagg," Adrien replied as he finished tying his trademark orange sneakers. "But I just can't help myself. How can I just lay around in bed on the day when we'll have our first official date? Just the thought of seeing Ladybug fills me with excitement."

"You just saw her yesterday during the akuma battle, remember?" Plagg replied in annoyance.

"Yes, but that was when we were performing our jobs." Adrien sat down at his computer and turned on his monitors; each one depicting a different image of Ladybug. "Tonight it's going to be just me and her, no crime syndicate, no akumas, no patrolling…"

"No having Ladybug rescue you from another akuma," Plagg smirked.

Adrien frowned but let the slight pass. He was in too great a mood for Plagg to ruin it. Adrien quickly turned off his computer, placed Plagg in his pocket, and headed downstairs for breakfast. After breakfast he spent the next two hours with his piano and then mandarin tutors. Believing he completed his scheduled tasks for the day, Adrien headed back to his room only to be stopped by Nathalie.

"Adrien, before you return to your room you have another assignment that you must complete." Nathalie stated in a monotone voice. "Please come with me."

Adrien turned around, following Nathalie out the front door and into the car.

"This assignment, is it another photo shoot?" Adrien inquired while looking out the window.

"No," Nathalie replied. She looked Adrien in the face before continuing. "I suppose this means that you have forgotten."

"Forgotten what?"

"Your father is still upset and disappointed in your behavior and places most of the blame on a particular bad influence."

"Nino," Adrien growled in annoyance. "I told him that he had nothing to do with my poor performance. And besides, I managed to turn things around. My final grade may not be out yet, but I'm positive that I met his expectations."

"Regardless," Nathalie continued while adjusting her glasses. "Your father wants you to spend more time around positive influences and arranged this get together." The gorilla parked the car on the side of the road and opened the door for Nathalie and Adrien.

"Positive influence," Adrien muttered to himself. "What could my father be…"

"ADRIKIENS!" Adrien quickly looked up and saw Chloe running towards him. She quickly grabbed Adrien, pulling him into a tight embrace. _Oh right, I'm supposed to be spending the day with Chloe._ Adrien thought to himself.

"I'll be taking my leave now," Nathalie said while walking away. "You two have fun now."

"Hey Chloe, how are you doing today?" Adrien asked as he peeled Chloe off him.

"I'm doing great now that I get to spend the entire day alone with you! I have it all planned out right here." Chloe pulled up a schedule on her phone and showed it to Adrien. "First we are going to head to Antoine et Lili. I heard they recently received a new line of clothing designed personally by Nina Ricci that I'm dying to check out. Next we'll have lunch at the Epicure; I reserved us a table there at noon. After lunch comes the movies, there's this new movie that I'm just dying to see; you'll absolutely love it! And then we have…"

As Adrien looked at the extensive schedule a worrying thought popped into his head. "Um, Chloe."

"What is it Adrikiens?"

"Exactly how long is all this going to take?"

"We should be done around 10 or 11 tonight."

"10 or 11! That's way too late Chloe!"

"Oh don't be ridiculous Adrien. It's been awhile since we've had this much time alone together and I for one am not going to waste one second of it. Besides," Chloe continued, "I know you would rather spend time with me then sit alone in your room waiting for your father to lift your punishment. Now let's go to Antoine et Lili, we can have the gorilla carry our bags."

Adrien's bodyguard nodded in acknowledgment.

"Bu-bu-but." Adrien stammered out.

"No buts," Chloe grabbed Adrien by the hand and ran towards the shop. "Let's get this day started!"

 _Crap!_ Thought Adrien as he was dragged along. _If this continues I'm going to miss my date with Ladybug. I have to think of a way to get out of this before 6:00._

"Good morning daddy!"

"Good morning pumpkin, you're in a cheery mood today."

"Oh, uh, yeah I guess." Marinette nervously replied.

"It must be nice to be done with finals and starting summer break. Ah, to be young again." Tom stated.

"Oh right summer break! Yeah, that's totally why I'm in such a great mood today, you definitely nailed it dad. Leave it to you to know exactly why I'm so happy right now." Marinette suspiciously grinned from ear to ear. The doorbell rang drawing their attention to the front of the shop where Alya had just entered.

"Oh look Alya's here, I better get going, bye dad." Marinette placed a kiss on her father's cheek before heading upstairs with Alya in tow.

"Have fun sweetie." Tom called after her. Continuing to stack the fresh loafs of bread on the shelves, Tom thought about his conversation with his daughter.

"If it's not summer break, then why is she in such a happy mood?" Tom mumbled to himself.

"So, how are you holding up?" Alya inquired when the two girls arrived in Marinette's room.

"I'm holding up fine, why do you ask?" Marinette replied, still displaying her cheerful demeanor.

"Well, I mean…wait, why are you in such a happy mood today?"

"What do you mean, why wouldn't I be in a happy mood today? Finals are over, summer break has started, what could possible put me in a bad mood."

"Well for starters, since school is out you won't be able to see Adrien on a daily basis anymore and today is the day that Adrien is supposed to be spending time with the Wicked Witch of the West, alone." Alya placed her hands on her hips awaiting Marinette's reaction.

Marinette froze. "That's right, I totally forgot! Poor Adrien, having to spend time with her." Marinette looked down, feeling dejected.

"Forgot? You FORGOT!" Alya screamed raising her hands in the air. Marinette jumped backwards in surprise.

"Why, why are you so mad Alya?" Marinette asked nervously.

"I've had it." Alya marched over to Marinette and stood a few inches away from her. "First the crying, then the cheering, then the posters, then the nonchalant attitude, and now this!"

"Alya…" Marinette cautiously began.

"Even without the schedule hanging from your ceiling, you know Adrien's routine by heart. I've seen you time and time again trying to setup instances where you two could spend time together. Considering how much time and effort you've put into memorizing absolutely everything there is to know about Adrien, the fact that you forgot something as huge as not being able to see him in class is suspicious. Moreover, the fact that you forgot he has to spend the entire day alone with Chloe is even more suspicious. I've watched you agonize over Chloe being together with Adrien more times than I can count."

Seeing Marinette's panicked expression, Alya calmed down and back up a bit. _Sigh,_ "I respect your privacy and have been trying very hard not to pry these past few weeks, but this is getting ridiculous." Alya looked Marinette directly into her eyes. "What is going on with you?"

Marinette paused. Looking into Alya's eyes she could see the concern and love Alya felt for her. Alya wasn't asking out of any selfish desires to know the truth, but out of genuine concern for her friend. Marinette knew how much Alya loved to uncover the truth and how hard it must've been for her to suppress her inquisitive nature in order to give Marinette the space she needed. Marinette felt a pain in her heart as she tried to think up another lie to tell her. _I can't._ She relented after a few moments. _I can't lie to Alya, not now, not again. Sigh._ Marinette stood up straight, giving Alya a look of determination before speaking.

"Alya." Alya perked up at the sound of her name. "The reason why I've been acting so weird, the reason why I'm not as attentive about Adrien as I always have been." Marinette took in a deep breath. "Is because I've fallen in love with someone else."

Alya's eyes widened in shock. "Fallen in love with someone else, who, when?" Marinette bit the inside of her lip before continuing. _I won't lie this time, but I can't tell her the complete truth either._

"You don't know him." _Not technically a lie._ Thought Marinette. _After all, no one knows Chat Noir's secret identity; not even me._ "He doesn't go to our school, but I've been friends with him for almost a year." Marinette maneuvered over to her computer chair, while Alya went to sit down on the chaise.

"We hang out a lot outside of school, just goofing off and walking around mostly. He's had a crush on me for a while, but I never gave much weight to it or thought about it that much. To me he was always just a good friend; that was until one day when he kissed me out of the blue." Marinette took this moment to swirl around in her chair a bit, collecting her thoughts.

"What surprised me most were the depths of emotions I felt emanating from the kiss. The shock and confusion caused me to immediately run away. After thinking about the incident for a night, I decided to meet up with him the next day to turn him down. What I didn't expect though was for him to prepare this romantic dinner for two and for him to tell me his true feelings. I found myself captivated by him and ran away again without a word out of fear and confusion. I loved Adrien, but here I found myself desiring another. I spend the whole night crying and came to school the next day with bloodshot eyes. That was when I noticed Adrien's foul mood and began obsession over cheering him up. It was a good way to spend time with my crush, distract myself from the other guy, and help out a friend in need. All around a win-win situation." Marinette gave Alya a weak smile.

Alya took a moment to soak in everything Marinette had just told her before responding. "I'd hardly call that a win-win situation, it seems more like you were avoiding the issue." Alya glanced around the room. "Well at least now I know why you took down all the posters and the schedule; couldn't have been comfortable seeing your crushes face everywhere when you are falling for another guy. So what happened next?"

"After avoiding him for several weeks, I managed to sort out my feelings and went to see him. I told him about my feelings for Adrien and my confusion regarding my sudden feelings towards him. He said he didn't care that I still had feelings for another guy, so long as I was willing to move forward with him. So we kissed and decided to start dating. Our first date is supposed to be tonight."

"Eeeeek!" Alya jumped with glee. "This is wonderful Marinette, absolutely wonderful!" Alya ran over to Marinette and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Together in a healthy relationship with someone, it's a dream come true." Alya pulled away from Marinette, giving her a warm smile. "But there's one thing that I don't understand. Why didn't you just tell me this from the very beginning, I would've supported you and helped you out?"

Marinette froze. _How am I supposed to answer that?_ "Um, well, you see my friendship with him was kinda this little secret between the two of us. I guess I just wasn't ready to tell you about him yet."

"I see, so when do I get to meet him?"

"WHAT!"

 _Giggles._ "Don't worry girl, I'm not going to eat him." Alya placed a comforting hand on Marinette's shoulder. "I'm sure that if you like him, then he's a good guy who genuinely cares about you."

"I would love to introduce you two," _gosh, what a flat out lie that this._ "But the thing is, this relationship is still pretty new to me and I'd rather just explore it a bit alone with him before I bring anyone else into the mix. You understand, right?"

"Of course I do. If you need some time and space, I'll be happy to give it to you. But you better fill me in on all the juicy details later." Alya winked. "Now let's go do something fun to celebrate your new boo."

 _Ring, Ring, Ring._

"Hold up a second." Alya pulled out her phone. "Aw shoot!" Alya placed her phone back in her pocket. "It's my mom, she just got an emergency call from work and she needs me to babysit my sisters. And I was so looking forward to hearing more about this guy too." Alya pouted slightly.

"No worries," Marinette replied. "There's always tomorrow, plus by then the date will be over and I can tell you how it went."

"Sure thing girl, catch you later!" Alya gave Marinette a quick hug before heading down the trap door.

"Alya's such a supportive and caring person." Tikki stated as she flew out of the drawer she was hiding in. "She makes for a great friend."

"Yeah," Marinette agreed. "She's definitely the greatest friend a girl could hope for. I can always count on her and talk to her about almost anything." Marinette let out a sigh.

"What's wrong?" Tikki inquired.

"Nothing, I just wish that I could talk to her about everything."

Tikki knew without even asking that Marinette was talking about her secret identity as Ladybug. "I know it's hard, but it's for the best. For her protections as well as yours, your hero identity must remain a secret. Sometimes you have to make the hard choices when you're a hero."

"I know Tikki, I know." Marinette took out the newest Agreste magazine that she received earlier that day and quietly began reading it in the corner of her room.


	13. Chapter 13: Count Down Until Six

Chapter 13: Count Down Until Six

"What do you think Adrien, does this suit me?" Chloe walked out of the dressing room and spun around a few times so Adrien could get a good look at her outfit.

"It looks great Chloe," Adrien halfheartedly replied. Chloe smiled, delighted.

"Perfect, then I'll add this to the list." Chloe walked back into the dressing room.

"Exactly how much longer is this going to take," Plagg flew out of Adrien's pocket, clearly annoyed. "We already went shopping for hours this morning; how many clothes does this girl need?"

"A lot unfortunately," Adrien sighed. "Shopping is one of Chloe's favorite past times. One time last year we literally went shopping for 10 hours straight, only taking a short break for lunch."

Adrien sighed again, "I'd hope today would just be a normal day hanging out with Chloe and not one of her shopping sprees. How am I supposed to find a way to meet up with Ladybug for our date? I already tried several times to end this outing only for Chloe to insist we continue. And between Chloe clinging on to me for dear life and my bodyguard following me around like a hawk, I'll never be able to sneak away."

"Beats me kid, I'm still trying to understand why you guys are still friends," Plagg stated.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean now that you're friends with Nino, Alya, Max, Marinette, Rose, Juleka, Nathaniel, and everyone else in your class, you don't need Chloe anymore."

"Just because I made some new friends doesn't mean I can just dump Chloe, we've been together since we were toddlers."

"Just because a friendship has lasted a long time doesn't mean it has to continue forever. Perhaps it's time you start examining your relationship with Chloe; even if you don't want to completely end the friendship, you should still take a moment to ponder about changing the parameters a little."

Adrien shot Plagg and quizzled look. "What do you mean by that?"

"Maybe start…"

"ADRIKIENS, I'm ready to go!"

Plagg flew back into Adrien's pocket as Chloe emerged from the dressing room. The two walked to the checkout, where Chloe proceeded to buy the clothes and give the bags to the gorilla.

"Now let's head off to the next store." Chloe grabbed Adrien's hand and proceeded towards another shop.

Adrien glanced back at his bodyguard who was struggling under the numerous bags and boxes he was forced to carry. Adrien hoped Chloe would take a short break at some point in time, allowing the man to deposit his load in the car; however, Chloe was oblivious to the man's plight, rushing from one place to another nonstop. Adrien managed to convince his bodyguard to leave his side for a few minutes during the movie so he could store the bags from that morning; nevertheless, his hands were soon full again thanks to the afternoon shopping spree.

"Chloe," Adrien stopped suddenly, forcing Chloe to halt as well. "We need to take a break so my bodyguard can put down all the bags he's carrying. Let's head to the car for a moment."

"Oh Adrien, have you learned nothing about being so nice all the time." Chloe looked over at the bodyguard struggling to maintain his payload. "Look see he's fine." Adrien frowned at Chloe's obvious lie.

"Besides," she continued. "The car is in the opposite directions of where I want to go and I don't feel like walking all the way back there."

"Chloe!" Adrien stated firmly. Recognizing that Adrien was not going to back down from this, she relented.

"Fine, we can head back to the car for a moment." Chloe huffed.

"Thank you Chloe." Adrien replied as the two headed back over to the car. Once they arrived, Chloe proceeded to direct the bodyguard on how to place the bags properly into the car so nothing would be crushed. Adrien watch the two for a small distance. _5:07,_ Adrien thought while looking at his watch. _I'm running out of time to get out of here. Damn it!_ Adrien pulled his hair in frustration. _I can't stand up Ladybug, I really need to find a way out of this._

"Hey Adrien."

"Ah!" Adrien jumped in surprise. "Marinette, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, um about that," Marinette laughed nervously. "I was just wondering how things were going with Chloe."

"With Chloe?"

"Oh yeah, she said that today you too were supposed to be spending time together. Where exactly is she?" Marinette began looking around. Adrien pointed over to the car where Chloe stood, too preoccupied with the gorilla to notice Marinette's arrival.

Marinette scowled as she saw Chloe. "So I guess that means you two have been together all day. Being dragged around to all of Chloe's favorite stores must've been hard."

"Yeah it has…" Adrien paused for a moment as a thought struck him. "What how did you know she was dragging me around to all her favorite stores?"

"Oh, um, hee hee," Marinette paused for a moment before continuing. "Re-remember when Sabrina, Chloe, and I were teamed up for that group project?" Adrien nodded his head.

"Well, Sabrina got into a fight with Chloe and started hanging out with me a lot for a couple of days. During that time she talked about Chloe a lot, especially her shopping habits and favorite stores. Considering where we are," Marinette gestured around them, "I figured she was up to her old habits of dragging friends from store to store."

"Makes sense," said Adrien, missing Marinette's sigh of relief.

"So, about my questions earlier." Marinette began.

Adrien paused for a moment before remembering what she had asked. "Oh that. Things are going fine," he lied. "No problems here."

"Is that so?" Marinette looked at Adrien unconvinced. "Well then, if that's the case I'll just take my leave then."

"Wait!" Adrien grabbed Marinette's arm as she turned away.

"What is it?"

Adrien froze as he looked at Marinette's puzzled face. _Crap! What am I doing? I can't just ask her to help me sneak away from my bodyguard and Chloe. This is my problem not her's and I shouldn't drag her into it._ Adrien thought about Ladybug, imagined her waiting at the Eiffel Tower for him for hours wondering when he'd show up only to realize later that he wasn't coming. A sharp pain struck his chest as he remembered the nights waiting at the Eiffel Tower, hoping to see Ladybug only to be met with despair when he realized she wasn't coming. _No! I can't do that to Ladybug, not now, not when things between us are just getting started!_

"Um, Adrien." Adrien snapped out of his inner turmoil. Realizing he had been holding onto Marinette's arm without saying anything for a while, he quickly released her.

"Oh sorry," He scratched the back of his head nervously.

"It's okay," Marinette affirmed. "So, did you change your mind about how well everything was going?"

Adrien hardened his resolve. _I may not get another chance like this._ "Yes. Also, if you don't mind, I need your help getting away from Chloe and my bodyguard."

Marinette smiled mischievously, clearly willing to assist. "I'd be happy to help."

"Ok, here's the plan." Adrien eager stated, happy to finally have a way to escape from Chloe.

"I can't believe that worked!" Adrien leapt with joy as he continued running down the street. He quickly ducked into an alleyway allowing Plagg to fly out of his pocket. "I was worried for a second that the plan wouldn't work or worst Marinette wouldn't want to get involved."

"Looks like you were worrying for nothing." Plagg began chowing down on a slice of camembert cheese. "Although I don't know why you were even worrying about Marinette wanting to help or not. That girl is always willing to do what it takes to help her friends."

Adrien thought back to all the times Marinette stuck her neck out to help someone. Juleka with the class photo, Mylene with the movie, Max with his robotic friend, and Alix with her race against Kim.

"Yeah," Adrien chuckled to himself. "Marinette's a pretty amazing friend."

Adrien checked his watch. _5:45, looks like I'll just barely make it in time._ "Plagg, transforme moi!"

The moment his transforming finished, Chat Noir took off at full speed towards the Eiffel Tower and his date with Ladybug.

"I can't believe that worked." Marinette stated to Tikki as they walked down the deserted street.

"Me neither, that plan was horrible." Tikki shook her head in disappointment.

Marinette shrugged. "I guess making plans just isn't Adrien's style. But considering how skilled he is at literally everything else, I think it is okay that he can't make plans."

"I guess it's a bit unreasonable to expect a kid to be great at everything," Tikki exclaimed. "I'm just glad that he bought your story about Sabrina."

"Me too. Having him find out that I was following him is the last thing I wanted to happen."

After Alya left Marinette's house, Marinette began reading a magazine to help pass the time. Soon though, she found herself bored. She decided to pick out an outfit for her date with Chat Noir and spent several minutes going through various combinations before she realized the pointlessness of her endeavor. After spending a few hours engrossed in a new design, Marinette decided to take a stroll around Paris as Ladybug when she spotted Adrien and Chloe. Curious and perhaps even a little jealous, Ladybug decided to watch the two for a while. It didn't take her long to notice how miserable Adrien seemed and how thoughtless Chloe was being, dragging him from one store to the next while making the gorilla carry everything. Jealousy turned to anger as Ladybug continued to watch them in secret. She thought about getting involved and lending Adrien a hand, but couldn't really think of anything she could do. His father had arranged this outing with Chloe, so it wasn't up to Adrien or her to simply end it.

 _But he's my friend and is clearly in trouble. I should help him._ Thought Ladybug as she paced around the rooftop of a department store.

 _Beep, beep_

Ladybug pulled her yo-yo out of her pocket. _4:50_ , the clock on her yo-yo read. Marinette had set the alarm earlier to ensure she wasn't late for her date with Chat Noir. The last thing she wanted to do was to keep him waiting, wondering if she show up.

 _No, absolutely not._ Ladybug shook her head. _I will not do that Chat, not again, it's time for me to head out of here. I'm sure Adrien will be fine._ As Ladybug pulled out her yo-yo to leave, she paused and looked back down at Adrien.

He seemed to be having some sort of argument with Chloe. Ladybug noticed him pointing to his bodyguard a few times before Chloe relented, following Adrien somewhere. Ladybug closed her yo-yo and replaced it around her hip.

 _No, I can't just abandon a friend in need._ Ladybug thought as she followed the pair. _Besides, I still have plenty of time before I'm supposed to meet up with Chat Noir._ Ladybug purposely set the alarm way ahead of time, wanting to arrive early to the date. _I just have to make this quick. When Adrien's alone, I'll approach him as Marinette and ask him if he needs my help. If he says he's fine then I'll leave it at that, but if he says he needs help then I will lend him a hand._ Ladybug knew full well not to press Adrien to do anything, even if it felt like he really wanted to. It may seems like a nice thing to do at the time, but the backlash he'd face later could mean a worst outcome for him.

Ladybug jumped down behind a building and de-transformed when she noticed them stop at a parked car. The moment Chloe turned her back, Marinette made her move.

Chat Noir landed upon the Eiffel Tower and paused for a moment to catch his breath. He pulled out his baton, smiling as he read the time on the clock. _Looks like all that running and jumping paid off, I made it just in time._ He put away his baton and climbed up to the top of the tower where Ladybug awaited him.

Chat Noir noticed how peaceful she looked leaning against the beams with her eyes closed, humming a tune. Ladybug always looked gorgeous, but something about her posture, with her arms folded behind her back and the way that the sun illuminated her face so it seems to be glowing, took Chat Noir's breath away.

Ladybug slowly opened her eyes and looked towards Chat Noir.

"Hello their kitty," she smiled. "I'm ready for our surprise date."

"Hee hee," finding himself unable to speak Chat Noir let out a nervous laugh.

"What's a matter Chaton, cat got your tongue?" Ladybug joked as she walked over to him.

"N-n-no, ehm." Chat Noir cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "No, I just momentarily found myself speechless at the sight of your radiant beauty."

Ladybug stopped in her tracks, turning a deep scarlet red while attempting to hide her face with her hands. _Whoa,_ Ladybug thought as she turned away from Chat. _That one really got me._

"S-s-so," Ladybug stuttered trying to regain her previous composure. "I guess it's time for you to tell me the big surprise."

"Not quite yet," Chat Noir teased.

"You know I'll probably figure it out on the way there," Ladybug stated. "All these months fighting akuma, not to mention all the years I'd lived here, has given me an excellent understanding of Paris' layout. It's pointless to keep hiding."

"Your right. Under normal circumstances you'd probably figure out where we're headed on the way there and that's why I've taken certain measures." Chat Noir unzipped his pocket and pulled out a blindfold.

Ladybug stared at the blindfold for a moment before she realized what he meant. _Being carried through Paris at lightening speeds by Chat Noir, while being completely unable to see._ Ladybug withdrew at the thought. She trusted Chat Noir completely and didn't mind the idea of being carried by him while swiftly maneuvering throughout Paris, but felt uncomfortable at the idea of being blindfolded. It made her feel too vulnerable.

Seeing how uncomfortable Ladybug looked, Chat Noir began to panic. "You know what, just forget the whole idea, it was stupid anyway." He shoved the blindfold back into his pocket. "We can just go the normal way."

Ladybug looked at Chat's forced smiled and felt herself waiver a little bit. She knew full well that Chat Noir spent a lot of time planning this date out and only suggested the blindfold because he wanted to make the evening special. She thought back to the fight they had with Stormy Weather when they were trapped in complete darkness. Ladybug remembered how helpless she felt, but also how quickly that feeling melted away when Chat Noir grabbed her arm. Maybe the blindfolded trip through Paris wouldn't be as bad as she thought it would. _Besides,_ Ladybug reasoned. _I trust Chat Noir with my life._

"There's no need to go the normal way. I want to experience this date the way you planned." Ladybug replied.

"Are you sure?" Chat Noir asked, unconvinced. "I mean, I don't want to make you do anything that you're uncomfortable with. Besides, it should have thought about how it would make you feel before I came up with this ridiculous plan."

Ladybug gave Chat Noir a warm, confident smile. "I'm sure," she stated as she held out her hand.

Chat Noir grinned as he placed the blindfold in her hands. After tying the blindfold securely around her eyes, Ladybug nodded that she was ready. Chat Noir gently scooped her up in his arms before extending his baton and hopping off the Eiffel Tower. Ladybug squealed initially at the sensation, but soon found herself completely at ease in Chat Noir's arms.

"We're here!" Chat Noir exclaimed after they arrived at their destination. Still blindfolded, Ladybug removed herself from Chat's arms. Filled with anticipation, Ladybug removed the blindfold, taking in the sight around her.

 **Author's Note: completely aware that Chat Noir is capable of devising good plans, but thought it would be funnier if in this instance he came up with a really bad one.**


	14. Chapter 14: Something Fishy

**Chapter 14: Something Fishy**

The first thing Ladybug noticed when she opened her eyes was the light blue hue that surrounded everything. Taking a moment to adjust to the lighting, Ladybug walked over to the giant glass screen in front of her.

"We're at the L'Aquarium de Paris aren't we?" Ladybug inquired as she watched the various schools of fish swim past the glass. Chat Noir nodded in head in confirmation.

"This brings back memories, I used to love coming her as a child with my parents." Ladybug enveloped herself in the nostalgic feelings.

"Me too," Chat Noir replied as he joined Ladybug at the edge of the tank. Linking his right hand with hers Chat Noir continued. "I used to come here all the time with my mother. We'd spend hours walking around, learning about all the different kinds of fish and where they originated from. It didn't take long before this became our special spot."

"Used to?" Ladybug replied. "What happened, did you grow out of it?"

Ladybug felt Chat Noir tense at the statement and turned towards him with a look of concern.

"Chat…" Ladybug warily began, squeezing his hand in reassurance.

"Um, it's nothing, no big deal." Chat pulled his hand out of Ladybug's grasps and placed it on his arm. "My mother just isn't around anymore."

Ladybug's expression changed to one of pure horror as she realized the implication of Chat Noir's statement. "You mean she's dead?"

"What no, I mean, I don't think so." Chat Noir explained. "She just kind of disappeared one day without a trace, but it happened a while ago so I'm already over it."

Ladybug placed a comforting hand on Chat Noir's shoulder. "I'm sorry, I had no idea."

"No worries, I'm fine, really." Chat Noir attempted to assure Ladybug with a smile; however, she remained unconvinced.

"You know it's okay if you're not fine. You can talk to me about it if you want to."

"I appreciate that, but I really am okay with it. I know it may sound strange that I'm okay with the fact that my mother is missing, but I am. Somehow I just know that she'll return one day and we'll be a family again."

"You're stronger than me. I don't think I could handle the disappearance of one of my parents as well as you do. Would you tell me about her?" Ladybug asked.

Chat Noir hesitated. He was on his first date with Ladybug and the last thing he wanted to do was ruin the mood by talking about his mother; nevertheless, he found himself wanting to talk to Ladybug.

 _Great plan, Adrien._ Chat Noir thought to himself. _Take Ladybug to the special aquarium that you used to go to with your mom and mention that she's gone, completely ruining the mood. What was I thinking taking her here?_

Chat Noir's decision to have their first date at the aquarium came about because it was such a special place with deep meaning to him. He wanted them to experience the magic and joy he felt every time he visited with his mother.

 _I guess it's okay so long as I don't give her too much detail. This secret identity rule is becoming cumbersome._

"Growing up, both my parents were pretty busy with work so they didn't have a lot of time for me. Despite this, my mother would always make time in her busy schedule at least once a week for me. There were a lot of different places we went to, games we played, but my all-time favorite place was here." Chat Noir intertwined his hand with Ladybug's once again, finding a surprising sense of relief in the enjoyment of the conversation with Ladybug about his mother.

"Sometimes when she came home after the aquarium closed, we would build our own little aquarium in my room. I'd put up all my drawings of the fish I'd seen and we'd walk around my room admiring them. Kinda dorky I guess." Chat Noir placed his free hand behind his neck, his mind still able to recall the laughter of those days. The sound of the paper rustling, the tape being pulled, and the way his mother's fingers traced each and every one of this drawings, like she was committing them to memory. His mind's eye saw her turn to him with a smile on her lips.

"I think it's adorable," Ladybug's voice entered his thoughts, bringing him out of them. He blinked as she rested her head on his shoulder. "Thank you for sharing."

Chat Noir beamed at Ladybug before continuing through the aquarium, his hand in hers, gently pulling her along. "Next let's check out the coral reef exhibit. It's only supposed to be here for…guard!"

Chat Noir ducked behind the wall, taking Ladybug with him.

 _Why are we hiding from the guard…no wait, more importantly where is everyone?_ Ladybug thought as she glanced around the aquarium. L'Aquarium de Paris was a pretty popular spot in Paris, often overrun with excited children; however, she noticed a suspicious lack of people, let alone children. They had been there for a while, but hadn't run into a single person.

 _What time does this building close again?_ Ladybug pulled out her yo-yo and checked the hours of operation. _10 a.m. to 6 p.m.,_ it read.

"Ok, looks like he's gone," Chat Noir whispered as he turned towards her. "Shall we continue on my lady?"

"Chat," Ladybug stated giving him a disapproving look. "Please tell me we did not just break into the aquarium after hours."

Chat Noir shot Ladybug a nervous smile, nervously placing his arm behind his head. Ladybug smacked her forehead in disbelief. _How could it have taken me this long to notice?_

"It's not as bad as you think, it's not like we're stealing anything or destroying stuff. We're just observing the exhibits in peace. Besides," Chat Noir continued desperately. "It's not like we could come here when it's actually open. I mean can you imagine all the attention we'd be getting?"

Ladybug frowned, but couldn't deny that Chat Noir had a point. As Paris' famous hero duo trying to go anywhere public without be swarmed by fans would be impossible. Plus what harm was there in them just being there. She was enjoying her date with Chat Noir and didn't want it to end, especially since he brought her some place so important to him. Nevertheless, she simply could not ignore that they were still breaking the law.

Ladybug contemplated for a moment before replying. "While I agree with what you said, I'm still not convinced. I mean this place is a business and we did enter without paying."

"Oh you don't have to worry about that. I bought two annual tickets this year; one for me and one for my mother. It's become a habit to buy two every year."

"I guess if we've already paid then," she reluctantly agreed.

Chat Noir's face lit up as he led Ladybug to the next exhibit. The two spent the next two hours exploring every inch of the aquarium, talking about the various kinds of creatures, exchanging a memory or two of past visits, they even had a small competition to see who could name the most fish and place of origin in a particular tank. Chat Noir won of course, but Ladybug fought valiantly and only lost by two fish.

* * *

"I never knew the aquarium could be so much fun." Ladybug exclaimed sitting on the roof of the building alongside Chat Noir.

"What can I say, I'm pawsitively purrrrfect at choosing date locations. After all, I am Paris' number one most charming feline."

Ladybug laughed at his affronted look. "That may be true, but it doesn't mean much considering you're the only cat in the race."

Pulling out her yo-yo, she checked the time. "I guess it's time to start patrolling," she sighed.

Chat Noir pouted, but nodded his agreement anyways as the two took off in different directions. After their patrol, they concluded the evening with a kiss goodbye.

* * *

 **Author's Note: I screwed up the time on the Aquarium, it doesn't close until 7 p.m.**

* * *

Ladybug swung onto the roof of a nondescript bakery and dropped through the trapdoor. Dropping her transformation, Marinette plopped down on her bed with a huge grin on her face.

"Looks like someone's date went well," Tikki giggled, hovering around Marinette's head.

"It was amazing! We ended up going to the aquarium, which has a special meaning for Chat, and we…" Tikki listened attentively as Marinette relayed the entire date from start to finish.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself and it looks like you and Chat became closer."

"Yeah," Marinette's face darkened. "I had no idea that he had lost his mother. He's always so energetic and optimistic, I just figured his life matched his personality. To think we've been fighting together for almost a full year now and there's so much about him that I don't know."

"It can't be helped," Tikki reassured her. "You guys don't really spend any time together outside of hero work and those times aren't exactly suitable for sharing information about yourselves."

"True," Marinette agreed.

"But now that you are spending more time together hanging out, I'm sure that there will be plenty of opportunities for you to learn more about each other; within reason."

"Right." Marinette mumbled. _Can't share too much, have to keep our identities a secret,_ she thought quietly.

 _Buzz_

Marinette pulled out her phone when she felt it vibrate. Immediately she saw all the missing calls and unread messages from Alya.

"Wow!" Tikki exclaimed, peering at Marinette's phone. "Alya must have called you at least 10 times over the past several hours. She must really want to know how the date went."

Marinette looked at the clock. _1:07 a.m. It's a bit late, but Alya's probably still awake waiting to hear back from me._ Marinette dialed Alya's number.

"Hey Alya."

"Marinette!" Marinette cringed at the volume of Alya's voice. "You finally called me back, I was getting worried."

"Worried?"

"Yeah. I figured you'd call me right after the date ended. When you didn't I decided to call you, but kept receiving no answer. I did my best to stay calm and avoid calling your parents, hoping that you were just enjoying yourself and not tied up in the back of that guy's trunk."

"Eh? I told you I've known him for a year already and have spent time with him in person. It's not like I was meeting some stranger online."

"I know, I know, but when you didn't answer my panic and imagination took over." Alya clarified. "So I'm guessing the date when well then."

"Yeah it was amazing!"

"I'll say. It must have been for you to spend so much time after hours with him." Alya teased. "So how was your first time?"

"Alya!" Marinette cried, pouting at Alya's crystal clear laughter.

"Relax girl, I'm just messing with you. But seriously, I want to hear all the details."

Marinette frowned, still a little annoyed, before conveying the details of her date with Chat Noir. Soon she found herself smiling as she remembered the time they spent together.

* * *

"Yes!" Adrien cried as he pranced around his room with joy, dropping his transformation.

"So your date went well with Ladybug, big deal." Plagg stated as he went to the mini fridge to grab a bite of camembert. "It's just a date."

"It's not just a date Plagg, it was a date with her." Adrien sighed as he lay on his couch.

"Whatever," Plagg replied nonchalantly before swallowing a chunk of cheese, his own grin spreading across his face.

"Why do I even bother trying to explain it to you," Adrien sighed while rolling his eyes. "You'd never understand, seeing as the love of your life is always one mini fridge away."

Plagg simply nodded in acknowledgement of Adrien's statement, mouth too full of cheese to even respond properly.

 _Step 1 in getting Ladybug to fall in love with me complete._ Adrien thought with a smile.

 _Buzz_

Adrien pulled out his cellphone, discovering several missed calls and voicemail messages from Chloe and Nathalie.

 _This can't be good._ Adrien thought as he recalled how he simply left Chloe in the middle of their outing without a word. _I should just get this over with._

Bracing himself, Adrien pressed play on the first voicemail.

Adrien sighed after listening to the last voicemail on his phone.

"What's eating you kid?" Plagg inquired. "You were literally bouncing around the room in joy just a few minutes ago."

"It's the messages I received from Chloe and Nathalie." Adrien solemnly answered. "Between Chloe flipping out about me ditching her and Nathalie worrying about my sudden disappearance, I know I've managed to dig myself an even deeper hole with my father. I don't even want to think about having to speak with him tomorrow."

Adrien cringed at the thought.

"Was it worth it?"

A huge grin spread across Adrien's face, replacing his once grave expression. "Definitely!"

Making sure to let them know he was okay, Adrien left a voicemail message for Chloe and called Nathalie. When she finished berating him over the phone, Adrien slipped into his pajamas and headed off to bed.

* * *

 **Author's Note: Sorry for the long delay, let me know what you think about their first date and how everything panned out in the comments.**


	15. Chapter 15: Happy Montage

**Chapter 15: Happy Montage**

Morning came and Adrien proceeded to his father's study, returning to his room an hour later.

"So kid, what's the verdict?"

"Another month of grounding," Adrien sighed, remembering the earful he received with a grimace. "It probably would've been worst, but my grades came in and I received 100% on every subject."

"Talk about perfect timing." Plagg flew across the room, but froze in midair when struck with a sudden realization. "If Adrien's grounded…that means you're going to spend more time as Chat Noir…which means more work for me. Argh! And here I was hoping for a quiet summer spent eating my delectable cheese," Plagg sighed dramatically.

Despite everything, Adrien couldn't help but chuckle a little at how disappointed the kwami looked. Nothing could break Adrien's high spirits at the moment, even the fact that he would be spending a month of summer break locked inside his house.

 _I'll still be able to see Ladybug on a consistent basis._ Smiling to himself, Adrien's mood suddenly dropped when it dawned on him he wouldn't be able to see Nino, Alya, or Marinette for an entire month. He flopped onto his couch with a heavy sigh.

"What's eating you?" Plagg asked, grabbing a bite of cheese from the fridge. "It's not like being grounded is going to interfere with your Ladybug time."

"I know, but I just realized I won't be able to see my friends for a while," Adrien mumbled in discontent, stifling another sigh as a bout of restlessness threatened to overtake him.

"Camm hhhhmp uuu bere." Plagg mumbled.

"You know I can't understand you when your mouth is full." Adrien replied.

Swallowing his cheese, Plagg repeated himself. "I said I can't help you there."

"I know," Adrien sighed. "I guess I'll go read a book before my piano practice begins."

"Hvvvv fmmmm mith bat."

* * *

Over the next month, Ladybug and Chat Noir spend a lot of quality time together. When they weren't fighting akuma, they were playing tag across the rooftops, sneaking into Jagged Stone concerts (still buying the appropriate tickets), visiting the Jardin des Plantes, having a candlelit dinner beneath the stars, etc.

Chat Noir was pleasantly surprised to learn that Ladybug was an avid gardener. The way she brightened up as she listed the various plants she'd grown and the properties that made each special, brought a smile to his face. They both talked about their personal kwamis to each other; Chat Noir marvelous at how supportive and helpful Tikki could be, Ladybug laughing at how lazy and demanding Plagg could be. The time they spent together was precious; however, as time went on, they couldn't help but notice a wall growing between them. Although they were spending a lot of time together and getting to know each other better, there was a limit to what they could share.

Ladybug kept both her friends, school life, fashion hobby, and family business to herself. Likewise Chat avoided talking about his parents' professions, the fact that he even worked at all, all of the various activities he needed to participate in, and his strained relationship with his father. They both wanted to be completely honest with each other, but they knew doing otherwise would jeopardize their secret identities.

One night, while the two were laying down side by side on the Eiffel Tower stargazing, Chat Noir broached the subject.

"Ladybug," he cautiously began.

"Yes Chat?" Her tone was light and clear, a good sign.

"Do you think…do you think that maybe, just maybe we could reveal who we are to each other?" He was lying down on his back, but he swore the words settled heavily between them.

Ladybug was quiet for some time before sitting up with a sigh and crossing her arms over her legs. Chat Noir slowly followed suit.

"You know we can't," Ladybug solemnly stated. "Our kwamis made it very clear to us that no one must know who we are, not even each other."

"I know," Chat Noir sighed. "But aren't you getting tired of this? Don't you want me to know who you are? Don't you want to know who I am?"

Ladybug placed a hand on Chat Noir's face, slowly tracing over his mask. How many times had she imagined what he looked like without it on? How many times did she wish she could talk about her love of fashion, her friends, and her family? How many times had she dreamed of actually walking into an establishment like two normal people on a date?

She stared at him, lost in thought as he leaned gently into her hand, pressing his cheek into the grooves of her gloves.

"Tonight, let's talk it over with our kwamis. Despite what we may want, we cannot simply just ignore the rules," she finally said. Ladybug stood up. "We are superheroes and we have a responsibilities to ourselves and others to keep our identities as safe as possible."

Ladybug planted a gentle kiss goodbye on Chat Noir's cheek before swinging off towards her house. Several swings later she landed on her roof. Crawling through the trap door, Ladybug softly lands on her bed.

"Tikki, transforme moi." Sitting cross-legged on her bed, Ladybug released the transformation.

Tikki immediately flew towards Marinette's face, a stern look in her eyes.

"Marinette, exposing your true identity is extremely dangerous," the kwami said solemnly, without even a greeting.

"I know that Tikki, but this is Chat Noir we're talking about. He's a fellow superhero and has been my partner for almost a year now. Why can't we just reveal ourselves to one another?"

"Marinette," Tikki explained. "Secrets are strongest when kept secret. The more people who know a secret, the greater the chance that it will be exposed."

"Surely there must have been Ladybugs and Chat Noirs in the past that knew each other's identities." Marinette reasoned, facing the kwami head on.

"There have been many and even more amongst all the miraculous wielders. Sometimes the identity reveals were harmless enough or actually helped the heroes fight together; however, there were several times when the reveal led to slip ups and other problems, hurting the heroes more than helping them. In order to protect our wielders from harm, the rule about secret identities remaining secret was put into practice."

Tikki placed a comforting hand over Marinette's. "I'm not saying flat out that you can't tell him, I'm just saying you need to fully consider the possible ramification before you do."

Marinette flopped down on her bed, weighing the consequences of telling Chat Noir her secret identity over her own personal desires. Tikki decided to take this opportunity to explain in detail just why keeping the secret was so important.

* * *

"So you want to reveal your secret identity to Ladybug? Sure." Plagg nonchalantly replied before taking a bite out of his cheese.

"Sure?"

"Sure."

"...you mean that?"

"Yes."

"…really?"

"Yep."

"…are you serious?"

"Argh!" Plagg snapped. "How many times do I have to tell you? If you two want to reveal your secret identities to each other then go for it!"

"I'm sorry it's just…you made such a big deal out of keeping my identity a secret from everyone. It feels a little strange that you would so casually say I can reveal it." Adrien rubbed the back of his neck, unsure of how to process everything.

"Well it's not like revealing one's identity comes without any risks," the black kwami flippantly replied, taking another huge bite of cheese.

"What do you mean?"

"Thwwww wmmmm casssmmm wmmmrrr," Plagg mumbled.

"Plagg!" Adrien scolded. "How many times do I have to tell you not to talk with your mouth full?"

Plagg swallowed before continuing. "I said there was a case were an identity reveal went horribly wrong."

"What!" Adrien cried in surprise.

"Yeah, about 800 or so years ago a Ladybug and Chat Noir got together. Miraculous wielders don't always end up together, but occasionally they will; and in this case they did. Wanting to be together forever, they decided to tell each other their secret identities. Everything was fine at first until Chat Noir slipped up one day by shouted Ladybug's real name out loud in front of a large crowd."

Plagg continued. "Soon after her identity was revealed, Chat Noir's was as well. Everyone knew about the relationship between the heroes, so it was easy to conclude that Ladybug's, or Susan's in this case, husband was Chat Noir's secret identity. Afterwards their life fell apart; enemies constantly attacked their families and friends, their family business went under, it was a complete mess. The worst occurred when one of their children was kidnapped and killed. Ladybug went into a rage, killing the culprit and losing her life in the process."

"Plagg, that's terrible!" Adrien cried. "How could you tell me to reveal my identity when something that like occurred in the past?"

"Because that's just the worst case scenario." Plagg put down his cheese, flew over to Adrien, and looked him right in the eye. "Look kid, being a hero isn't all fun and games it comes with some serious risks. The story I just told you is one of countless Miraculous Wielders, each with a different circumstance and outcome. I've seen identity reveals between other wielders, family, and friends that turned out smoothly and I've seen some that didn't. I've known wielders who fell in love with each other, but ended up broken hearted because they couldn't truly be with each other while keeping their identities a secret."

"As a general rule to keep our charges safe, we advise against revealing ones identity to anyone, but seeing how close you and Ladybug have become, I don't want to see you two end up broken hearted because you were playing it safe."

Adrien was caught off guard by how heavy the tone in Plagg's voice was. The little kwami was always so carefree and upbeat it surprised him to hear Plagg speak in such a serious and thoughtful manner. While he did worry about Adrien's safety, he also worried about Adrien's own personal happiness as well.

"Knowing Tikki though," Plagg began. "She'll definitely advise against it. She took the tragedy of that Ladybug pretty hard and never truly got over her loss."

Adrien blinked and looked out the window, thinking deeply about the kwami's words.

"So kid, what do you want to do?" Plagg asked.

Adrien was silent as he continued contemplating. _I've wanted to know who Ladybug was for so long and now I finally have to chance to finally find out. Our relationship can't continue like this, but do I really want to risk her safety?_ "I-I don't know yet. You gave me a lot to think about."

"Well let me know when you decide," Plagg replied as he flew over to the fridge, grabbing another slice of cheese.

* * *

"Dude, how have you been?"

"Hey Nino." The two greeted each other with a fist bump.

"How's it feel to be a free man again?"

"Honestly, it couldn't have come soon enough. I missed hanging out with you."

"Me too bro, me too." Nino placed his arm around Adrien, pulling him in close. "But now that's all behind us and you can experience your first summer break completely unhindered!"

Adrien's bodyguard grunted in disapproval.

"…slightly unhindered," Nino corrected, flicking a grin at the bodyguard who stared stoically ahead.

"Is it just me or does your bodyguard look extra scary today?" Nino whispered into Adrien's ear.

"My dad's been unhappy with how often I slip away from him. This last time put him over the edge apparently…" Adrien explained in a whisper.

"And the gorilla took the brunt of his anger." Adrien cringed slightly as Nino finished his thought.

"Dude, you shouldn't beat yourself up over this. It's not like you meant to cause trouble for your bodyguard. Besides, it your dad's fault for being so overprotective. Now let's turn that frown around with some summer time fun!"

Adrien smiled, appreciative of Nino's company. "When are we meeting up with Alya and Marinette?"

"Later in the afternoon," Nino replied. "I figured we'd have some fun just the two of us first."

"Sounds like a plan," Adrien replied with a grin as the two headed out for a full day of fun.

* * *

"So how was your day?" Tikki asked.

"It was a lot of fun," Marinette replied. "I didn't realize how much I missed Adrien's company until I saw him again today."

"I'll say, you even turned back into your stuttering self the moment you laid eyes on him."

"Tikki! That was only for a moment and I recovered after that." Marinette assured. "He just caught me a little off guard is all; I thought I was over him already."

"Getting over someone is a process Marinette," Tikki explained. "And there will be moments when your heart beats uncontrollably."

"I understand Tikki, it just feels weird being in love with two different people." Marinette sighed. "It would be so much easier if I just loved Chat."

Marinette looked at the clock.

"Chat Noir should be finishing up his patrol soon, I need to head out now if I want to be done before he is." Marinette stated.

"Have you made a decision on whether you'll reveal your identities?"

Marinette paused. She remembered the tragic story of the previous Miraculous holders Tikki told her about. She'd be lying if she said that it didn't scare her. _They aren't us though and plenty of wielders reveal their identities without incident._ Marinette observed. _Besides, I'd rather take the risk then end up like those who broke apart because they didn't reveal themselves. I just hope Chat Noir agrees with me._

"I want to." Marinette affirmed. "I know it's not the best decision for us as heroes, but as a couple it's necessary. I love Chat Noir and I'm willing to take whatever risk I have to for us to be together."

"If that's your decision, then I'll respect that. Just remember to be careful."

"Thanks Tikki, transforme moi!" Marinette said before her body was engulfed in a bright light.

* * *

Sitting on the Eiffel Tower waiting for Ladybug to arrive, Chat Noir felt himself becoming more and more anxious.

"Why did Plagg have to tell me that story in the first place? Now my mind's a total mess. Argh!" Chat Noir pulled on his hair in frustration, thinking back to what Plagg said right before they went on patrol.

 _"You know if things don't work out with Ladybug, there's always that Marinette girl." Plagg said. "You two get along quite well."_

 _"That's because she's my friend and just that, a friend." Adrien replied in annoyance._

 _"That may be true for now, but the best love stories are rooted in friendship."_

 _"Since when did you become an all knowing love guru? I thought the only love you understood was camembert."_

 _"Just because I don't understand love between human beings doesn't mean that I can't quote a phrase or two I've heard over the years; and that one has been stated a lot so it must have some merit to it."_

"Some god he is," Chat Noir muttered to himself. "Can't even make up his mind as to whether he understands human affection or not."

"I just hope this goes well," Chat Noir sighed as he spotted Ladybug approaching.

"Hello there my lady," Chat Noir greeted as she landed softly beside him. He bent down and placed a kiss upon Ladybug's hand. "This night is made brighter by your presence."

"Always with the pickup lines," Ladybug giggled.

"Ready for another night strolling under the stars?"

"Actually, I had a different idea in mind for tonight. Follow me." Ladybug swung away with her yo-yo, Chat Noir following close behind.

The two continued flying through Paris, until Ladybug landed next to the River Seine.

"A stroll down the river bank, I like it." Chat Noir stated landing next to Ladybug.

"Not quite," Ladybug pointed to a spot upstream. Chat Noir followed the direction of her hand until he spotted a red boat with black polka dots.

"Your lucky charm I presume?" Ladybug nodded. "But won't you transform back soon then?"

"No worries," Ladybug assured him. "I already de-transformed and retransformed before arriving at the Eiffel Tower. So is the kitty ready for a romantic boat ride down the river?"

"This cat is up for anything that includes spending time will his lady." Chat Noir lifted Ladybug's chin ever so slightly before planting a kiss on her lips. Ladybug wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the gesture. Pulling apart, the two walked hand-in-hand over to the spotted motor boat.

"A romantic boat ride down the Seine. I take it this is your way of celebrating our one month anniversary."

Ladybug nodded, snuggling next to Chat Noir on the bench after turning on the radio she brought from home. Chat Noir wrapped his arm around Ladybug before laying his head on hers. They continued enjoying each other's warmth in silence for several minutes, taking in the scenery around them.

"Did you talk to your kwami?" Ladybug asked after a while.

"I did." Chat Noir replied after a short pause. Ladybug heart began to pound in her chest. _He probably heard the same story I did._

"Chat, did you…"

"Yeah, I heard. I'm guessing you did too." Ladybug nodded her head.

"I still want to know who you are."

"Really?" Chat Noir asked turning towards Ladybug in surprise. "Even after that horror story?"

"I know it may not be the smartest decision, but I love you Chat and I'm willing to take the risk so we can be together." Ladybug kept her voice steady as she stared straight into Chat Noir eyes, conveying her complete determination and confidence. "Besides, it's not like it's guaranteed something bad will happen; there have been plenty of cases where wielders shared their identities without incident. Are you willing to take this risk with me?"

"I-I don't know anymore…" Chat Noir replied. "I know I'm the one who's been pushing the issue since the beginning, but now, now I'm just not so sure anymore. I need more time to think about it."

Ladybug looked away, feeling the disappointment yet trying to tamper it before it showed on her face. She really wanted to know who Chat Noir was and hoped he felt the same way. _Is this how he felt when he brought this topic up months ago?_ Chat Noir placed a comforting hand on Ladybug's cheek.

"It's okay Chat, I understand." Ladybug indicated, seeing the hurt in his eyes. "I'm a bit disappointed, but I'll get over it so long as I have you by my side."

Chat Noir began to purr as Ladybug scratched him behind his ear.

"In other news," Chat Noir began while pulling a box out of his pocket. "I also got you a gift for our one month anniversary."

Ladybug opened the box revealing a beautiful gold chained necklace with a blue stone attached in the middle. "Oh Chat it beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it," Chat picked up the necklace and placed it around Ladybug's neck. "A good friend of my pointed it out to me when we were shopping."

"She has good taste," Ladybug replied, marveling at the necklace around her neck.

"Yes she does."

"How does it look on me?"

"It suits you. I think it really enhances the blue in your eyes."

Ladybug smiled, right before a thought hit her. _Enhances the blue in your eyes…wait._ Ladybug looked down at the necklace again, realizing with growing horror that she recognized it. Her mind began to race, comparing everything she knew about Chat Noir to what she knew about Adrien. Hair color, eye color, age, height, Adrien's fencing, Chat Noir's combat skills, their missing mothers, their love of long strolls, their loneliness, the timing of Adrien's mysterious depressive state, etc. _No way…_

"Adrien?" Ladybug hesitantly stated out loud. Chat Noir look at her wide eyes. "Adrien Agreste?"

"How…how do you know?" Chat Noir started back at Ladybug in bewilderment.

Ladybug opened her mouth to reply, before focusing on something behind him.

"Duck!" She cried, tackling Chat Noir to the ground. A shower of bullets flew pass right where Chat Noir had been standing.

"I guess the crime syndicated is out of hiding," Ladybug said as she stood up. "Chat, call the flics (cop) while I give chase. Come find me when you're done."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?" Chat cried as Ladybug swung away.

* * *

 **Author's Note: My basis for leaving the lucky charm intact after Ladybug de-transformes is the Bubbler episode. Notices the record remains and continues playing after Ladybug goes back to being Marinette.**


	16. Chapter 16: Syndicate Take Down

**WARNING: Chapter contains gun violence**

* * *

 **Chapter 16: Syndicate Take Down**

Ladybug landed on the bridge just in time to see the van holding the criminals speed around the corner. Pulling out her yo-yo, Ladybug swung onto the roof tops and raced after the van. It was difficult keeping pace, but finally the van pulled into an abandoned warehouse on the edge of the Seine. After quickly scoping out the perimeter, Ladybug waited patiently for Chat Noir to arrive.

"Ah good you're here," Ladybug stated when Chat Noir landed next to her. "How did it go with the flics?"

"I gave them the information on the van you were chasing and were it apparently stopped." Chat Noir replied. "It will take them about 15 minutes to get here."

"Perfect. I tried to take a look into, but was unable to make anything out among all the crates." Returning her attention back towards the warehouse, Ladybug pulled out her yo-yo. "My miraculous did manage to generate a blue print of the building, but since it's a warehouse the only thing on the schematics is the building itself. We'll have to go in..."

She was interrupted by a hand on her shoulder.

"How did you know it was me?" Initially she was annoyed by Chat Noir's question, but that annoyance quickly turned into concern.

 _I suppose I can't blame him for being focused on that. I did literally just drop a bomb shell on him right before this all began. Must be impossible not to think about it. Heck,_ I'm _still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Adrien and Chat Noir were one in the same! Wait…does that mean I'm the one who put Adrien in that sour mood? No, focus Ladybug!_

"Chat, I know you want an explanation for everything and you deserve one, but not right now. Now we need to focus on the task at hand. This is the first lead we've received in weeks and we must follow it. I promise that when this is all over we can sit down and talk about, about everything, ok?" I gently caressed his cheek with my hand.

He hesitated, clearly struggling with his own personal desire to discuss this immediately. I'm not worried though, Chat Noir is a hero and my partner, it won't take him long to realize we have bigger fish to tackle right now.

"Alright," he finally sighs. "We'll catch the criminals first and then talk later."

I smile and give him a small peck on the lips before heading inside the building through a small window. Chat Noir followed silently behind.

Inside the warehouse were several crates and boxes piled up everywhere. It made it easier to sneak around unseen, but more difficult to find the criminals. Slowly the two made their way through the warehouse, keeping an eye out for anything suspicious when suddenly they were met with open gun fire.

"Duck!" Ladybug cried, taking cover behind a crate. Chat Noir followed suit, taking cover right next to her.

"How did they notice that we were here?" Chat Noir asked.

"They were probably expecting us."

"Did you see how many there were?"

"I saw six men with guns before they started open firing on us." Ladybug replied. "But for all I know there could be more here. Wait here."

Swinging her yo-yo around, Ladybug leaped up onto a higher pile of crates hoping to gain a better vantage point. Her attempts were met with a volley of gun fire from two completely different direction. Unable to deflect the barrage of bullets from all three directions, she made her way back down to the floor by Chat Noir.

"So how does it look?" He asks.

"Not good. There are more of them than we thought. If we aren't careful they could easily surround us."

"What's the play?"

"I'll lead the way and you cover our rear." Ladybug explained. "Between the two of us we should be able to deflect everything while we search for a good vantage point to scope out the situation."

Chat Noir nodded his approval and the two heroes made their way backwards through the maze of crates. The two strained their eyes looking for a safe vantage point when several stacks of crates started to fall over.

"Chat Noir!" Ladybug yelled, wrapping her yoyo around his body and pulling him to safety. No sooner had she saved him, another stack of crates tumbled over.

"We need to move."

Following Ladybug's lead, the super hero duo jumped up the stack of crates to the rafters above. This move, although saving them from the toppling crates, put them in direct line of sight for the gun men.

"Now what?" Chat Noir asked, twirling his baton as the two proceeded forward.

"I'm not sure…let me think for a…" Her words were abruptly cut short when a new barrage of bullets caused Chat Noir to lose his footing.

"Chat!"

"Don't worry, I'm okay." Chat Noir stated as he slide down his extended baton to the ground. "Don't you know cats always land on their…"

The moment Chat Noir's feet touched the ground, a criminal came out from behind one of the crates and hit him over the head with a bat. Chat immediately collapsed to the ground, blood trickling from the wound on his head. Not missing a beat, Ladybug swung down from the rafters, picked up Chat's baton, and started swinging the two weapons around her.

"Chat are you okay? Answer me." Ladybug cried, receiving no response.

 _This isn't looking good, Chat's down, I can't assess his injuries, and I'm pinned down here unable to do anything but defend us. We're in a real jam now._

Continuing to deflect bullets, Ladybug scanned her brain for a way to call out her lucky charm without stopping her defense tactics. _They have to reload or run out of bullets at some point. Even if they don't, the flics should be arriving any minute now. If I can just wait these guys out, then everything will be…_

Ladybug stopped mid thought as smoke grenades were thrown towards Chat Noir and herself.

 _Why would use a weapon that would minimize their visibility along with ours?_ Ladybug questioned as smoke filled the area around the two heroes. Just as the smoke began to thicken, she realized the enemies plan.

"Lucky Charm."

A red colored, black polka dot gas mask landed in Ladybug's arms. She immediately placed the mask on her face, while still reflecting bullets with Chat Noir's baton; a task made easier due to the loss in visibility. Picking Chat up, Ladybug jumped over a pile of crates hidden in the sleeping gas. After confirming they were safely out of the line of fire, Ladybug undid her transformation.

* * *

As Tikki emerged from the magical suit, she was surprised by her inability to see anything. It wasn't until Marinette waved a hand in front of her that Tikki was able to find her. Silently the kwami took the cookie presented to her and began eating as fast as she could.

 _I need to hurry, clearly Marinette is still in danger._ She glanced over to Chat Noir lying next to Marinette clearly out cold. _As is Chat._

Tikki flew over to the unconscious body and performed a quick check up. Marinette sighed in relief when Tikki told her he just had a slight concussion.

"Do you have a plan?" Tikki whispered to Marinette.

"Of course," Marinette replied from behind the mask. "I just need to time everything right."

 _That's my master for you._ Tikki proudly smiled before gulping down the last bite.

* * *

"Cease firing!"

The continuous shooting abruptly ceased.

"I think that should be an efficient amount of time," the man stated, looking at his watch. "Turn on the ventilation!"

A loud suctioning sound filled the air as the smoke quietly rose to the ceiling, revealing an unconscious Ladybug and Chat Noir.

"Our client should be pleased."

The man who appeared to be the leader walked over to the bodies of Ladybug and Chat Noir. Inspecting them for bullet wounds, he concluded they were both unharmed. Signaling his men, the gang members lowered their weapons with a sigh.

"I can't believe we actually pulled this off!"

"I know right!"

"When we were first told about this job, I thought for a second it was complete and utter suicide."

"Me too!" One of the men laughed. "Who would think that Paris' super powered superheroes, who fought super villains on a daily basis could be brought down by mere humans with guns?"

"That just goes to show you how powerful perception can be versus reality." The leader calmly explained. "Bring the box over. I want to take their miraculous and receive the rest of our pay as soon as possible."

Reaching down towards Chat Noir, the leader attempted to seize the ring on his finger.

"Not so fast!"

"Ladybug!" The entire gang exclaimed in surprise.

Grabbing the leader with her yo-yo, Ladybug pulled him in close and knocked him out with one knee to the gut. Caught off guard and operating without a leader, the rest of the gang dissolved into a chaotic mess. Some attempted to fight, some attempted to flee, while others still stood in shock unable to process what was going on around them. Ladybug used the chaos to her advantage, attacking each member one by one and rendering them unconscious.

* * *

 _Wheee-yoooo, wheeee-yoooo_

"Perfect timing."

Ladybug dropped the last of the criminal's unconscious body to the ground before hurrying over to Chat Noir. Digging through the crates, she found her hidden lucky charm and threw it in the air.

"Miraculous Ladybug!"

As the miniature bugs put everything back into place, Ladybug proceeded over to Chat Noir. Gently she place his head on her lap and patiently waited for him to awaken.

"…mmmmm." Chat muttered.

"Chat!" Ladybug pulled him into a tight embrace. "I'm so glad you're okay."

The slightly confused and still drowsy Chat Noir hesitantly hugged her back.

"Ladybug, what…the gun fight!" Suddenly Chat Noir bolted straight up.

"All right you fiendish criminals," Chat Noir yelled. "I'm ready to go whenever you are, so come at me!"

"The fight is already over Chat," Ladybug giggled.

Chat Noir blinked a few times, surveyed the warehouse filled with unconscious bodies, before relaxing his stance.

"So it would seem. Once again my lady demonstrates why she is Paris' number one hero."

"Followed closely by Paris' number two." Ladybug remarked as she stood up.

Reaching out with his left hand, Chat Noir slowly intertwined his fingers with Ladybug's right hand. The two stood there enjoying the moment as they stared passionately into each other's eyes.

"Now that this is over, perhaps we can get back to what we were doing before." Ladybug nervously asked.

Chat Noir gently grabbed a fallen strand of hair and placed is behind her ear, caressing her cheek as he did so.

"I'd like that."

Ladybug closed her eyes as Chat Noir leaned in for a kiss.

"Ehem."

"Wha!" The two heroes jumped back in surprise at the coughing sound.

"…while I have no problems with you two continuing whatever it was you were doing before, I would prefer it if you waited until _after_ I took your statements."

The two blushed a deep crimson red as the officers around them observed the scene. A few laughed, some sighed, but most looked upon them with gazes of genuine joy for the young couple.

"Don't give them too hard of a time Lieutenant," a random officer stated. "This is Paris after all, the city of love."

"I would appreciate it such love did not take place in the middle of a crime scene," he sternly retorted. "Come with me back to the station."

Too embarrassed to talk, Ladybug and Chat Noir silently followed Lieutenant Raincomprix to his patrol car.


End file.
